The Survival Medley
by abstractular
Summary: There are certain moments in life that are revelations. That make us grow, that make us love, that make us fill with longing. It's all part of surviving. Various pairings, various ratings. This week: A winter heat between Yuuki and Zero
1. Secret Meetings

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. Nor do I own the movie/book Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, which Yuuki makes reference to

……………….

Secret Meetings

Yuuki loved going into the city. So whenever the Chairman needed something done in town, Yuuki jumped at the chance to go. The Chairman always let her, but only if Zero went.

Zero never admitted it, but he liked it too.

Zero liked going into the city, frankly because it left him alone with Yuuki. Away from Cross Academy. Away from Vampires. Away from Kaname.

In the city it was just them and everyone leading separate lives around them.

The two took the subway and came up into the first floor of a Mall, much to Yuuki's delight and Zero's displeasure. It was times like this that Zero told himself no matter how much she ate or punched him; Yuuki was still a girl.

And girls gravitated to the clothes in the Mall.

Men gravitated to the bench outside of the department store, where they would be spending the next three hours waiting for the women inside.

But Yuuki wouldn't let Zero sit on a bench and nap next to the old man, oh no, she dragged him into the store with her. Because Zero was the equivelant to a human Ken doll for Yuuki. She liked to dress him.

"Hold out your arm."

He sighed, but did what she asked. A long time ago, his father once warned him that when it came to department stores it was better to just do what women said, then no one would get hurt.

Yuuki slid the sleeve down the length of his arm, holding the green hoodie up to his neck as her eyes shifted from his face to the sweatshirt. When her fingers brushed against the palm of his hand, unrequested tingles shot up his arm and into his heart.

"I think we should get it." She smiled. "It goes well with your hair, and if you smiled a bit and made a pouty expression you could pass as one of the boys on the poster."

Her best friend held back the desire to roll his eyes.

"We should go look at the pants now. You're due for some new ones."

The thought of her holding jeans up to his waist and running her hands down his legs; of her arms coming around his hips in an absolutely innocent way that wouldn't register as such in his seventeen year old brain. A shiver ran up his spine and he pushed away from her, throwing the jacket over her head.

"No. My pants are fine. Let's just go. I'm tired."

"Zero!"

He walked away to the front of the store, giving her no choice but to follow.

Fifteen minutes later they were going down the escalator, and Yuuki was surprisingly silent. He glanced over at her, just to make sure she didn't space out, and found her smiling wistfully at the descending stairs.

"What's up?"

She blinked, her brown eyes coming to life, and smiled at him.

"I was just thinking about this movie Yori-chan and I saw the other night."

He snorted. "Another chick flick?"

"No!" Her tongue stuck out at him and he smirked. "It was a comedy of sorts. Anyway, at the end of it the two characters are going home from being out all night. And the guy kinda tells the girl that what they have right now is what's important, what's worth living for. To not worry about the past or the future, you know?"

Zero looked at her, taking in her soft smile and her warm eyes. She looked at him and her smile grew as her cheeks tinted pink.

"And they were going down an escalator, and she kissed him."

Typical chick movie.

"But it just made me think." Yuuki reached over and grabbed his hand, her nimble fingers lacing into his long calloused ones. He grasped her palm instantly.

"It made me think about you…and…well, the future." Her teeth scraped against her lower lip, bringing amethyst eyes to focus on her mouth. "Right now, Zero. This." Her hand squeezed his. "This is what's important. This is it."

Zero watched her. Her shining eyes, and gentle smile. Her soft hair and smooth skin. Her tinkling laugh and the way she made him warm with just her voice. His thumb unconsciously brushed against the back of her hand.

Zero wished he could have kissed her on the escalator.


	2. Snowed In

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. Nor do I own the book series Tales Of The Otori by Lian Hern, which Ichijou reads from

……………………………..

Snowed In

Ichijou Takuma frowned as he stared out the window of his room in the Moon Dorms. The news said that it would snow last night, but he didn't quite expect it to blizzard. He would have suggested that they go outside for a snowball fight, not that anyone would join him, but it was much too cold for that.

He sighed, running a hand through blonde hair and fell on the couch.

"It looks like we're stuck inside today, Senri."

The dark haired boy next to him shrugged, not really caring in the least. He leaned against the armrest of the couch, watching his roommate pout as he thought of ways to occupy themselves.

"Why don't you read?"

Ichijou tilted his head at him. "Hm? Read? But that's not much fun for you, now is it? I'd rather we think of something that we could do together."

Shiki stood, going to the small table against the wall and picking up the new book that the older boy had gotten last week, but hadn't touched since. He strode silently back to the couch and dropped the paperback on the table next to Takuma's arm. With a silent flop, he laid on the cushions with his head resting in his friend's lap. Icy eyes drifted shut and he sighed contentedly as long fingers started to weave their way through his hair.

"Read to me." He spoke dully.

Suddenly, he could feel the warmth radiate from his partner's body, and the fingers brushed against his forehead in thanks before returning their trek through his hair.

"_My mother threatened to tear me into eight pieces if I knocked over the water bucket, or pretended not to hear her calling me to come home as the dusk thickened and the cicadas' shrilling increased_." Ichijou's voice took on the soft tone that it usually did when he was reading. It wasn't unpleasant to listen to, it was comforting, and when the characters spoke he would always put the right emphasis on their words.

As he read, his hand traveled from Shiki's hair to his shoulder, his thumb stroking his collarbone idly while he told the riveting tale of loss and honor.

"_And so between the waterfall and the top of the mountain I lost my name, became someone new, and joined my destiny with the Otori_."

Takuma paused in his reading and it was at that moment, while he was reflecting on the beginnings of the young boy's tale, did he realize that his fingers had laced together with Shiki's on the younger boy's shoulder. Green eyes met blue, and they smiled at each other softly, fingers clenching just a little more tightly.

"I'm listening." Shiki murmured.

Ichijou nodded, cleared his throat, and continued reading. Suddenly, he was quite pleased that they had the blizzard.


	3. The Smell of Rain and Pine

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

……………………….

The Smell of Rain And Pine

He always managed to find her in some of the oddest places.

So he supposed it wasn't exactly a shock to see her standing in the center of the pine trees, in the middle of a rainstorm, staring up into the sky.

"What are you doing?" He called out.

She looked over at him and smiled, her dark eyes shining, and beckoned him over. Like a moth to a flame, he followed her hand until he was standing in front of her. A frown marred his perfect face, and he shrugged out of his white uniform jacket and threw it over her shoulders.

"You're going to get a cold, Yuuki, you should go back inside."

"I like the rain." She stated simply, and her hands came through the sleeves of his jacket that was much too large for her.

His hair stuck to his forehead and hers hung down next to her pale cheeks in wet clumps that made her look celestial somehow. He sighed through his nose, ready to steer her away from the forest and into the safety of her home with some hot cocoa and a soft blanket. But Yuuki spun out of the safety of his arm, twirling around on the slippery grass as if she were the most glorious dancer.

He watched her, and allowed himself to admit that she looked so damn adorable in his jacket, and he would let her have it if he could. She spun, her arms in the air, palms up to catch the rain, and a large grin on her face.

"Did you know, Kaname-senpai?" Her voice floated, soft to his sharp ears. "That the rain washes away the sins of the world. That's why I like it. It makes all the bad things just…go away. Gives the earth a fresh start. Gives it something better. A clean slate…for everyone."

His eyes followed her movements, and before he realized it, he was in front of her, his arm circling around her waist as his hand caught hers in the air. And he spun with her, smiling at each other as their foreheads pressed together.

"What will you do with your clean slate, Miss Prefect?"

"I think, Kuran-senpai." She giggled. "That I shall live…to the absolute best that I can with no regrets."

He dipped her, warmth seeping through his body as her head craned back and she unknowingly presented her alabaster neck to him. Swiftly, he brought her up so that her chest pressed tightly to his, and their eyes met in understanding. He steered her around the emerald floor, and she rested her head against his shoulder as she followed him.

Kaname no longer cared that the Night class was probably watching.

He was beginning his clean slate by dancing in the rain with this girl.


	4. One For Me And One For You

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

……………….

One For Me and One For You

"CANNONBALL!"

The surface of the water shattered as Yuuki crashed into it with a squeal. Zero sighed, rolling his eyes as his head popped out from under his shirt. He threw it to the side with their shoes and towels as she floated to the top of the lake.

"Nice." Zero raised a brow. "Very uncoordinated."

His best friend laughed, pushing her soaking bangs back away from her face as she treaded the water.

"Are you coming in or what?"

"No. That's why I have swim trunks on."

Yuuki rolled her eyes, and then looked up into the sky with a grin. "Hey! I think the clouds are covering the sun! Yay! I can take this off then."

Zero walked down the wooden planks of the dock, bending over as she shed her drenched t-shirt and handed it to him before dunking her head into the water and swimming off. He was stretching his arms over his head, squinting against the sun when the fifteen year old came above the water again, farther away this time.

"Zero! Come on! It's fu-un!"

The older boy sighed and glared. "Okay, Pauley Shore, you wanna calm down?"

"No!" She pouted. He could see the water droplets falling down past her nose. "We have the whole school to ourselves this summer! We never get to swim! So come in already!"

He couldn't stop the corner of his mouth tilting up. He really had to quench down his growing crush on the girl or he was going to be in trouble. Getting a running start off the dock, he dove into the water, trying to catch up to where she was. Yuuki had always been a good swimmer. Out of everything in school, she was best at P.E.

Zero actually was planning on swimming laps along the lake, but Yuuki obviously had other things planned. She kept trying to pull him under, and when he didn't come back up the last time, she got scared, searching around the water frantically. A large hand caught her ankle and pulled her down, letting go as Zero broke the surface with a splutter. Yuuki came up after him, coughing and glaring.

"Not cool, Zero! I was really worried that I had gone too far!"

"Oh come on, like I would honestly drown by you pulling on my foot."

"Well you didn't come back up!"

She crossed her arms, water making her eye lashes clump together as she frowned at him. Zero instantly felt like an ass and rolled his eyes before swimming away from her. If she couldn't take it, then she shouldn't dish it out. Thin arms came around his neck, and her wet cheek pressed against his bare shoulder.

"Sorry, Zero. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

He shrugged, grunting, before continuing his laps. Yuuki went off to her own thing, swimming around and backstroking as she dared. Until Zero could tell that she was obviously bored. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"Marco!"

He heard her splashing stop, and he could hear the smile in her response.

"Polo!"

He swam forward towards her voice, hearing her take a small breath and the almost silent dip of water.

"Marco!"

…Nothing. She must be under water then. He continued to call out Marco until she responded with a spitting Polo somewhere behind him. He spun around, calling it again.

"Polo!"

Next to him. He shot to the right, and grabbed air, hearing her laugh behind him.

"So close!" She giggled.

He frowned, but didn't peak. He hadn't expected her to be so good at this. It's been a while since he played it, and even then it was with Ichiru and they normally stopped after a few minutes.

"Marco." He sighed.

"Polo."

His whole body shuddered when her voice came low right next to his ear. His eyes opened and he paddled away from her.

"Don't do that." Zero glared.

Yuuki's eyes widened with confusion, a small frown on her face. "Do what?"

"THAT."

"What?"

"Don't get next to my ear like that. It's weird!" He barked.

Yuuki's brows raised and she looked at him like he grew a second head. Instantly Zero felt like an idiot and a red flush cropped up behind his ears and around his neck. He wished that he could be anywhere but here.

"You know, Zero." Yuuki heaved a sigh. "You've been acting like this for a while. It's getting weird."

"I'm not weird."

She rolled her eyes and splashed some water at him, laughing in delight when it came over his face and made his silver hair darken into a grey color.

"Yes you are," She grinned. "But that's okay. I like weird."

The flush that was on his neck grew into his cheeks and he looked away. Why did she have to say weird things like that? She was the weird one, not him. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and saw her looking at the sky and swimming towards the dock.

"I think it's going to rain soon. We should go back for lunch anyway."

He grunted his response, and swam after her. Yuuki got to the dock first, with him holding his place a few feet away. She grabbed onto the edge, and pulled herself up. That's when it happened. It was like a brick slammed into Zero's face as she turned around and waited for him to come up.

That wasn't a bathing suit. That was a bikini. And she was wearing it. Yuuki was wearing a bikini. One that looked better on her than Zero was willing to allow himself to admit. But…she…

_When the hell did Yuuki get boobs?!_

And….and her stomach…oh God it should be illegal for water to slide to the brim of her bottoms. And her legs! Did she go running? When did this happen?

Yuuki, oblivious to Zero's blatant staring, wrung her hair out and then flipped it over her head so that it fell in messy clumps around her face. She smirked and raised an eyebrow at her friend.

_Oh God don't smirk like that._

"Are you coming out, Zero?"

Bad choice of words. Not to mention the droplets of water were now sliding down between her breasts, trailing a slick line to her belly button. Zero shuddered as images flashed through his head and his blood rushed down.

_Oh Fuck._

"Um. I think I'm just going to hang out here."

Her brow furrowed. "But it's going to rain."

"Not for a while. I'll come out when it does. Just go on ahead without me."

"Are you sure?"

"God! Yes! Just go!"

"Okay! Holy crap, Zero, you don't have to be so pissy all the time!"

She stuck her tongue out at him and turned on her heel and stormed away from him. Zero sighed and dunked under the water. He stayed out at the lake for a good ten minutes until he felt himself turn cold with the water. He stared at the grey clouds in the sky as the beginning sprinkles of rain started to drip on his head. Frowning, he continued to float.

"Fuck my life."


	5. I Persevere

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

…………………………………..

I Persevere

The sky was grey.

Seemed fitting seeing as how for once in her life, Yuuki didn't feel like smiling.

She was lying down in the grass at the edge of the lake. Spring was coming to a close, and the cherry blossoms were beginning to fall off the trees. Normally she would have found it pretty, but today she didn't even want to see them.

Everything reminded her of blood. The lake. The falling petals. The walls of the room she stayed in. The water that filled her bath.

She didn't understand. It felt like chaos all the time now. Like she just kept looking for a place to run to, a place to go that was safe, that didn't smell like stale copper. It was starting to frighten her, nothing like this had ever happened before. She didn't hallucinate. She was the one that smiled; she was the one that pet Zero on the head when he had nightmares.

But it was like their roles had changed. She would wake up with a jerk each night, with the feeling of fear and vision of a bloodied, clawed hand outstretched to her. And Zero would be there with water and aspirin, petting her sweat slicked bangs away from her head and whispering soft words of comfort. His personal sleeping spot had become the chair next to her bed. He must not be getting a lot of sleep either.

Yori could tell she was different. She didn't mention it, but she had started taking extra notes in class to give to Yuuki later. She would walk a little closer on the way to class, just so she could catch the prefect in case she passed out.

Her Father and Kaname kept watching her with furrowed brows, like they were nervous, but expectant. They knew something. Something that they weren't telling her.

God, why wouldn't anyone tell her what was going on?

Her arm flung over her eyes, blocking the sky from her view as tears slowly but silently slid down her temples onto the grass. She sniffed and swallowed roughly. Soon she took her arm off her eyes, seeing the bleeding woman in the pink dress behind her lids.

She felt lost. She felt like she did when she was seven and got lost at the grocery store. She kept going up and down the isles, trying to find a hint of her blonde haired father, but he always seemed to be in a different isle than her. So finally, she sat next to the shelves of bread and cried until that gently calloused hand pet her head and she looked up to see his loving bespectacled face.

"I found you." He had smiled as she hugged him.

…But he couldn't find her now. It was like she was there, but she wasn't.

_Am I going insane?_

Grass crunched softly under heavy footsteps, and a golden head and bright green eyes blocked the grey sky from her view.

"There you are, Yuuki-chan!"

Her brows knit together and she sniffed again. "Ichijou-senpai?"

He chuckled lightly and crossed one leg behind the other, plopping down Indian style next to her on the grass. He seemed so out of place sitting next to her. It wasn't that she didn't like Ichijou, in fact out of all the night class she liked him the most. Behind Kaname, of course.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked softly.

"The Chairman is worried. He can't find you; you've been out for hours. So he asked Kaname if he'd seen you. Then Kaname got worried – tried not to show it of course, the funny guy – and sent us out to look for you. I figured you might be over here. I remember you said you liked the lake."

Yuuki closed her eyes against the new tears. God, she was so stupid. Now the whole Night Class was looking for her. Not to mention Zero, Yori, probably the Chairman too. Why didn't she just go home?

A large hand closed over hers, and Yuuki saw Ichijou's face go from one of tranquility to genuine concern.

"Yuuki-chan," His voice was soft. "Are you alright? Really?"

She swallowed roughly and looked at him for a moment. Huh. She never really realized how handsome he actually was. She sent a shaky, guilty smile and shook her head.

"No."

Long fingers squeezed hers. "Can I ask what's wrong?"

"That's just it." More tears spilled over and her voice became small. "I don't know. I don't know anything anymore. I feel like nothing is real. Which am I living in? The world of blood or the one with everyone else? It's like my mind is being split in half and I can't pick which side to lean to. But I know if I just pick then…then….it'll stop. Oh God, I want so much for it to stop…"

Why she decided to spill her guts to Ichijou Takuma of all people, she had no idea. She didn't even say these things to the Chairman. Not even to Zero or Kaname. But maybe that was why she _could_ tell Ichijou. Because he _wasn't_ them. He wouldn't freak out like they would.

"Do you have nightmares?" He asked.

She laughed without any humor. "All the time. Even when I'm awake."

Ichijou smiled and nodded, and suddenly he seemed older. He seemed wiser, somehow. Like despite his young age, his eyes have seen things that most elderly people haven't.

"I knew someone like that."

She sat up; her fingers let go of his and moved to pick at the grass next to her.

"You did?"

"Hm." He nodded once. "He would always have nightmares. He had someone that he lost in a pool of blood. And he would always wake up screaming her name, shaking. I would spend the night with him sometimes, and when he got like that I would have to hold him down. He would thrash, you know. He kept trying to save her. Even though she wasn't there."

Yuuki was quiet as this soaked in. That poor boy. She could relate.

"What happened to him?"

"He grew up." Takuma smiled. "He learned how to cope his own way. He pushed away help. He didn't want it. But soon…the nightmares just stopped. He moved away. To a different place. And he found some happiness there. Now I honestly believe that he'll be just fine."

The younger girl smiled. Her tears were drying on her cheeks and she sighed, suddenly feeling very tired.

"Come on." Ichijou stood up, holding out his hand until she took it. He pulled her to her feet and brushed some grass off her shoulders and arms. She watched him, and he smiled cheerily at her. His hand came on her head and he ruffled her hair.

Yuuki stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his torso, her face going into the stiff white of his uniform.

"Thank you, Ichijou-senpai."

Long arms came around her, and he chuckled lightly. They sat like that for a bit, and her eyes closed. She was just so tired, and Ichijou was warm. His embrace was friendly and comforting. She didn't know how long they stood like that, but she felt his arm rise up and move in the air a little. After a moment she was gently pushed away, spun, and pressed into another broad chest.

Strong arms came around her, one hand going into her hair, and the other softly rubbing her back. She sighed, inhaling the comforting, familiar scent of sage and citrus as Kaname pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.

Her eyes opened, and she saw a white uniformed arm, but past that, she saw the lake, and a small pink flower floating along the vast darkness. How odd. That little scrap of light was all alone, but it was perfectly intact. It was opened, presenting its sunny yellow pollen to the dark sky. Persevering.


	6. ABC

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

…………………………..

ABC

If anyone really knew the Night Class, which not many did, then they would know that Ichijou Takuma is what keeps them young.

He is the heart of the class, the shadow king. Kaname may have a hold on the reigns, but he is the peacekeeper.

He is the one person that reminds them all, no matter how old they feel, they are still under twenty.

"Ichijou-san…why?"

Takuma grinned brightly and wrapped his arm around the bed headed boy's shoulders.

"Because, my dear Senri, it will prove that we were here!"

Ruka, being the practical woman that she is, snorted and rolled her eyes. "Ichijou-san, we don't need to shove chewing gum onto a wall like…like children to prove that we were downtown. I think my new shoes that I got at the store will be enough proof of that."

Ichijou's smile fell slightly and Shiki could feel his fingers twitch against his collarbone.

"But…"

"Besides!" Aidou shoved his hands in his coat pockets roughly, turning his nose up to the wall. "You only want to do it because every human in the city has done it. You're fascinated by illogical things, Ichijou-san."

The corners of Takuma's lips tilted up, and his green eyes glazed with a hint of warm love for those around him.

"Exactly." He replied softly. "Humans have such a short existence. But this wall is like a memoriam. It shows that over a thousand people stood where we are standing, saw what we are seeing, and then thought 'oh why not?' It unites us."

Aidou refrained from snorting. Chewing some bubble gum and then smearing it on a wall that had collected the germs of a thousand humans did NOT sound like his idea of a fun time. Ichijou's weird ideas.

Takuma walked over to his best friend, holding out the pack of gum. The dark haired boy eyed him for a moment; honestly he couldn't see the point of doing it either. But Kaname's known Ichijou long enough now to just follow his odd cravings.

He sighed and smiled politely. "Oh, why not."

Takuma grinned and laughed as the Pureblood pulled out a stick of gum. Aidou and Ruka fought for the next piece.


	7. Reaching For Heaven

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

……………………………

Reaching for Heaven

Zero had his moments.

People would think by looking at him that his moments were spanned into twenty-four hours, but the fact of the matter was that Zero had very few moments when he actually felt sorry for himself.

But he did have his moments.

During these moments, he didn't like to be coddled; he didn't like to be around people. So he escaped to a hilltop just outside of the racetrack next to the stables of Cross Academy. There was a grove of evergreen trees that reached as high as the sky, and no one ever thought to look there for him.

It was just after Kuran Kaname declared Cross Yuuki to be his…_lover_…that Zero escaped to this special spot of his.

Because it was in this place, surrounded by these trees that reached to heaven, which Zero could let his guard down.

He let his mind ponder over thousands on what ifs. What if he had been nicer to her? What if he danced with her at that stupid dance? What if he had told her to stay with him instead of going to confront the pureblood? What if he had kissed her when he wanted to?

But after pondering these what ifs for a while, Zero started to feel hopeless. What ifs don't change anything that is currently happening. He couldn't do anything about the fact that he didn't make a move in the past. He couldn't do anything to change the fact that the girl he loved now found her place in the arms of the person he hated so much.

If she could just see what he saw. What that man really was. He wasn't her savior; he wasn't this perfect white knight. He was a manipulative, selfish, egotistical, ruthless pureblood.

Why didn't Zero just tell her that?

Easy, because it would make Yuuki cry. It would make her angry with him and hate him, and shout at him for saying such lies.

And more than he hated that stupid pureblood, he hated Yuuki's tears.

The young man sighed and blinked, suddenly realizing that small drops had leaked out of the corners of his eyes and slid down onto the grass next to him. He snorted and rubbed his eyes in anger.

How stupid was he? He was the one crying over idiotic what ifs and things that he couldn't change.

Zero sighed, letting his eyes slip closed as he forced his body to relax. If he didn't go back soon, then Yuuki would wander around looking for him. Which honestly, made him hurt even more.

Honestly, if she loved that damn pureblood so much then why did she do things like that with Zero? Why did she search for him, and go to him, and sit with him when he had nightmares? He always was just setting himself up for failure.

He snorted, and frowned, opening his eyes and staring up at the sky. The trees framed it so that a small circle of blue broke through them. He lifted his hand and reached up, watching as his fingers spread out against the sky, the tips of the trees and the blue of heaven always just a bit out of his grasp.

Suddenly, like an eclipse of the sun, her face appeared over his head, and his fingers curled to grab the tips of her soft brown hair.

"What're you doing way out here?" She questioned quietly.

He sighed and let his hand drop next to him as Yuuki sat down next to his head. She scooted down and lay on the grass in the opposite direction of him, her cheek next to his and her head brushing his shoulder.

They were silent for a long moment, simply sitting in each other's company as the trees creaked and swayed around them.

"You're stubbly." She murmured.

"Didn't feel like shaving." He replied.

There was silence again, which was honestly a weird thing for Yuuki, because she normally could never shut up. But occasionally, her and Zero had moments like this. Where no words were really needed and just the presence of the other was enough to calm whatever war was raging inside of them.

He swallowed roughly. "How'd you find me?"

Yuuki's brow furrowed and she shook her head a little. "I don't know. I was checking the stables for you, and then I looked over to this area and something in my gut just told me to go. Like a sixth sense."

Zero snorted, rolling his eyes. "Maybe it was this stupid tattoo. I'm tamed to you, right?"

His best friend sighed. "Or maybe it's the fact that you're my best friend and I worry so I'm inclined to have weird feelings about you."

Damn it. Zero hated when she did that. She used this soft voice, the one that she always used when he would wake up in the middle of the night, like she was talking to something precious. It always made him feel weird. Besides…

"Shouldn't you be off greeting your boyfriend?"

Silence. Then, "He's not my boyfriend."

"He seems to think differently."

Her clothes rustled as she lifted a hand to her temple, rubbing lightly. Her headache was starting to come back.

"Things are just really complicated right now, Zero. That's all."

_Yeah, sure. That's all._ Zero rolled his eyes. Stillness came over the two, but surprisingly it wasn't uncomfortable or awkward. It simply…was quiet. Anyone could see that these were two people that needed each other to the point where words couldn't convey the comfort.

"Do you ever feel…?"

Yuuki blinked and tilted her head slightly. "What?"

He sighed and dropped one hand to his side next to her head. Automatically, her hand came up and grabbed hold of his, fingers curling around his as her thumb brushed against his wrist lightly.

"Do you ever feel like you see something really great, and you keep reaching for it and reaching for it…but it always is just beyond your grasp? And you start to wonder what the hell you're even doing there and why you keep reaching when you know you're just going to grab air."

He could tell she was thinking of his question, which at least meant that she was taking it seriously as she played with his fingers gently.

"Yes." She huffed out a laugh. "I feel like that lots of times."

He turned his head to look at her, seeing a sad smile on her face and wistfulness in her eyes.

"How do you find the will to keep reaching?"

She turned her head to meet his eyes, and for a single moment, it was only them in the world.

"I just think that…maybe if I reach with someone…then maybe we can grab it together. Or maybe…they can tell me that I've had what I wanted all along. Does that…make any sense at all?"

The corner of Zero's lips picked up in a half smile and he nodded.

"Yeah, it makes sense."

Yuuki smiled and tilted her head so that her lips pressed against his forehead. Zero closed his eyes. He knew that she only meant it as a comforting gesture to a friend, in the ways that girls often do, but he allowed himself to take it as more.

He allowed himself to sit in heaven for a bit.


	8. Sweetie's

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

……………………..

Sweetie's

Aidou's heart went alight with joy as he walked past the rows of gummi bears, sour worms, lollipops, and chocolate squares. There was a bar where they served ice cream in the back, and this truly was without at doubt, his favorite store. Ever. In the History of Ever.

His soul did a jolly little jig when he passed by a thing of rock candy and nearly ran his shoulder into a much smaller frame.

"Ouch!"

"Oh, excuse me-…Wakaba?"

Yes, there she was, Cross Yuuki's little friend. Wakaba…whatever her name was. He almost hadn't recognized her without the school uniform. Well, she cleaned up nicely, didn't she? Purple was very much her color, if that sundress had anything to say about it.

"Aidou-sempai…what're you doing here?"

Icy blue eyes inspected the young girl carefully. What a rude question, why shouldn't he be allowed to be here? It was a public shop; it wasn't as if she owned the place.

"Well what are you doing here?"

"My Mother owns the store. I'm helping out over the break."

…Oh.

Wait a moment…

A light bulb appeared in his mind's eye, and he leaned against the shelf of jolly ranchers and M&Ms. His hand rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he sent his most charming smile her way.

"Say, Wakaba-san. I don't suppose that I could get a discount, seeing as how we're schoolmates and everything? Pretty please!"

Oh she was putty in his grasp. There was absolutely no way that any woman, old or young, could ever resist that smile.

Yori bit her lower lip and glanced around the room, making sure her Mother wasn't looking. Her thumb brushed against the box of long spiraling lollipops that she had been carrying when she ran into him. Finally, she leaned forward and tilted her head, motioning him to share her little secret.

"Sure, Aidou-sempai." She smiled and raised her eyebrow. "I always give discounts to the people who have tried to ruin my best friend's life repeatedly by making other woman jealous of her in a crazed frenzy."

"…That was sarcasm, wasn't it?"

Another sweet smile. "Indeed it was."

His charm dropped like a piano in a cartoon and he sighed, folding his arms over his chest as he pouted and glared at her. Whatta bitch. It wasn't like he did anything horrible to her. And the things he did to Yuuki really weren't even that bad. Okay so he bit her wrist, and he froze her, and he would hug her in front of all the other girls in her class, and he tried to beat up that Kiryuu kid, and he's always openly hated her enough to get slapped by Kaname-sama…

But it's not like he ever punched Cross in the face or anything!

"I'll have you know," The vampire scoffed. "That without me, your little friend would be dead a thousand times over."

Yori laughed wryly and raised her brows at him. "Oh yeah, I'm quite sure you were a real help to her."

Why this little…

Aidou's jaw twitched and he put his hands on his hips.

"Kiryuu's twin brother would have murdered her with Rido-sama's blood. But I stopped him. She would have gotten killed by Rido-sama himself if-"

"If Zero-kun hadn't come in and helped her out, thus killing Rido themselves while you were off-"

"PROTECTING YOU!"

Yori grew silent and set him with an even stare. The corners of Aidou's lips quirked upwards and he crossed his arms over his chest in victory. There was absolutely no way that she could deny him now.

The younger girl sighed and rubbed her head as if simply looking at the Noble was giving her a migraine. Finally, she shrugged and nodded.

"Alright, Aidou-sempai. You're right. So, in thanks for protecting me that night, you can get a discount on one item that you want in the store."

He grinned and refrained from bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"I would like the giant gummi bear that is made from a bunch of tiny gummi bears!"

Yori's eyes widened as her head whipped to the counter where the foot tall bears sat in pride. But…he…she said ONE thing.

"Ah-ah!" Aidou smirked when he caught on to where her mind was headed. "That IS one thing. It is simply one thing comprised from a number of little things. It still counts."

Yori sighed heavily and shrugged. Why bother to fight it? She turned and gestured Aidou to follow her to the counter.

She/He really hated/loved when he got his way.


	9. Looking For Faeries

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

……………………..

Looking For Faeries

It was summer, and Kaname was spending the day doing one of his favorite pastimes. Yuuki had wanted to go playing in the woods, while everything was still green. So, being the protector that he was, Kaname went with her.

The girl smiled up at him, her small hand tucked inside of his as she looked around the trees and flowers surrounding them.

"Kaname-sama?"

The thirteen year old smiled down at her, slowing his pace some so they could wander at her leisure. Yuuki twirled around under his arm, moving in front of him and walking backwards as both her hands held one of his.

"Are faeries real?"

His smile grew and he shrugged. "I don't see any reason why they can't be. Why do you ask?"

"Well," Yuuki wet her lips and leaned in some, her voice dropping to a whisper. "The Chairman says that on summer evenings, they like to play out in the woods with the flowers and trees. And that it's polite to ask permission from them to enter the woods before you go."

The young pureblood resisted the urge to shake his head, but laughed softly, his eyes filling with a gentle fondness as he stopped walking and leaned over slightly. The girl's eyes grew wide and she leaned in to meet him. His words were a whisper across her face as he looked around the forest suspiciously.

"Do you want to see if we can draw one out?"

She gasped. "Could we?"

He pressed a finger to his lips and smiled. "Maybe if we're quiet and close our eyes…then they'll think they've bested us and come dance in victory. Want to try?"

Yuuki nodded, then stayed as still as the dead. Her eyes were clenched shut, and her lips tilted into a small grin the way that they often did when she was excited. She didn't feel Kaname stretch his will out to the flowers down the road, didn't know that his aura held such strength that he could give her the faerie she wished for.

"Yuuki…look."

Her eyes opened, and she followed his intense gaze down the path to a small patch of fresh daisies, honeysuckle, and violets. They pulled up from the ground and spun in the air as if they were dancing, twirling with the breeze and looping around each other.

Kaname's smile grew when he heard her gasp in awe as the petals soared over to them, surrounding the small girl and dancing around her. Yuuki laughed as the soft skin of the flowers caressed her cheeks and hair until finally they all swept away to the pull of the natural breeze, save for one.

Kaname grasped the violet from the air and tucked it behind her ear, enjoying how her face looked when flushed with laughter and the light in her eyes.

"See?" He pressed his forehead to hers. "Who says faeries don't exist?"


	10. Iron and Stone

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

And I'm sorry this one is a bit on the late side! My computer has been wonkey!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

……………

**Iron and Stone**

It all went horribly, horribly wrong. The Vampires had expected them. They were outnumbered.

Yuuki ushered the final hunters and vampires inside the gates of the school. She sighed, looking out at the remaining allies that they had. At all the crying children, both hunters and vampires, searching for their parents. God, how did this happen? The plan was perfect; there was no way that it could have been leaked.

…They had a traitor in their army.

Dark eyes scanned across the courtyard as she leaned against the fence, trying not to put too much weight on her broken leg. What vampire would be stupid enough to betray Kaname, and what hunter would be stupid enough to betray Zero?

Two familiar voices flooded into her ears, one a smooth baritone and the other a rougher, angered one. The Kuran princess sighed heavily through her nose, refraining from rolling her eyes as she heard them argue. Great, as if they didn't have enough problems on their hands.

Wounded men, women, and children were frightened and confused; watching their leaders shove each other and wincing and the men grew louder.

The young woman growled under her breath and made a pathway for herself by pushing others out of the way gently.

Kaname's eyes were cold and bright red, a silent rage directed at the silver haired hunter. Zero had blood dripping down his face from the gash on his forehead. Lilac eyes glared at the pureblood, complete rage and distain coating his aura.

"If you had just followed my orders when they saw us then-"

Zero barked out a laugh. "_Your _orders? I believe it was _your_ plan that got us into this mess!"

The Kuran heir's head tilted slightly, his jaw flexing. "And I seem to recall it being YOUR men that set them off. If you had better leadership skills, then perhaps it would have ended in our favor."

Yuuki began to step in between them, her hands held up in front of her, eyes filled with exhaustion. She didn't want to be hearing this right now and the people around them shouldn't have had to hear it either.

"And now it's my leadership skills that are at fault! That is just like you, Kuran! Always blaming everything on everyone but you! You have to be the best at everything, don't you? Be the best leader, make the best decisions, get the girl; it always has to reflect well on you!"

Yuuki's eyes did roll this time, and she turned towards Zero. She opened her mouth to object, but Kaname had beaten her to it.

"And that's what it actually comes down to, isn't it? You're still holding a grudge over things that happened a year ago. Angry because I have Yuuki, angry because I have more skill in qualities you lack."

Zero snarled and pushed Kaname by the shoulders, his eyes matching the pureblood's in crimson anger.

"Just what is that supposed to mean? Huh? That you think you're a better man than I am?"

"I don't have to think it," Kaname smirked. "The evidence is clear in every action you take."

"ALRIGHT ENOUGH!"

A small form wormed in between them, one hand pushing Zero in the chest so roughly that he fell against a tree. The other hand shoving Kaname so that he stumbled into the iron gate.

The two young men stared in shock at Yuuki. Her eyes were as vermilion as the setting sun, and her lips pursed in disgust. Her presence demanded attention, the chill of her aura crackling around her petite frame. But when she spoke, the entire courtyard became as silent as the grave.

"Just whom are you two doing this for?" Her voice was low, full of anger mixed with a tired sorrow. "Do you see this as a competition on who's the better man? On who gets the girl?"

Kaname looked away from her eyes, shame washing over him at how angry he had made her. He straightened himself and brushed the ashes off his coat.

Yuuki glared at him until he looked at her again, meeting her eyes and knowing full well that he had set her off.

"There are bigger things than the three of us happening here." She stated quietly.

Zero sighed, purple eyes swirling with scarlet until they cancelled out the red completely.

"Yuuki," He whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Shut up." She barked. "I'm talking now. Look around you. People have died. Children are bleeding. Women have lost their husbands. Men have lost their friends. And until you two finish your pissing contest, I am going to take charge here. So either follow my lead, or stay out of my way."

Her long hair whipped around her as she faced the crowd. She glanced at the front row of the crowd, and as if it was second nature to her, she took charge. Like her Mother would have. Like Kaname always did. Like a true Kuran.

"Aidou, tell the cooks to boil some water and pull out any alcohol we have. Kain, fetch any clean linen that we have and whatever isn't clean, make it clean. Ruka, pull any beds that are available into the ballroom. Until I say otherwise, this Academy is an infirmary. Father, Yagari, Seiren, and Aidou-dono, split this crowd into four groups. If the vampire injuries can be healed through blood, send them into the science building. Serious wounds go into the ballroom for fast treatment; wounds that can wait get sent to the Gym. Understood? Good. Move."

Like an invisible chain pulled them all, they followed their orders instantly. The crowd slowly began to move until Yuuki's voice stopped them again.

"And as for the one who betrayed us all…if you're still here, its best you leave now. When I find you, your life is mine."

A shudder ran through the group, and they cleared out once more. After a few long moments, only the three of them were left. Yuuki sighed, letting her arms drop from their crossed position over her chest. She looked at Kaname and saw the awe in his eyes at her performance, as well as a deeper, darker emotion that nearly made her shudder.

"Kaname."

"Yes?"

Her eyes softened slightly as he came over to her, letting her give him whatever orders she had in mind.

"My leg is broken, as well as a good number of ribs. I need blood. Wait in my old dorm room, I'll be there in a few minutes."

He nodded, wine colored eyes filling with warmth as he lifted a hand and touched her cheek lightly. "Do you need me to cut again?"

Yuuki's head shook. "No. The time for being a child has ended. I'll take it the old fashioned way."

That dark emotion laced his gaze again, but he nodded. There was a small, respectful smile on his face. His thumb caressed her jaw before his hand dropped.

"How you shine, Yuuki…"

With a quick glance towards Zero, he walked towards the Sun Dorms. The youngest pureblood turned and stared at her old friend. He was breathing a bit too heavily for her liking, and he struggled slightly to stand up. Pressing against the trunk of the tree, he tried to scrape his back along it, and flinched when her hands came against his shoulders and helped him rise.

"Tablets won't do it for you this time, Zero. You need blood."

He pushed her away, glaring. "I'm not taking it."

Yuuki tucked away the pain at his rejection, and let her hands drop. She wet her lips and smiled sadly at him.

"You've changed, Zero."

The hunter stared at her for a long moment, and then started to walk away.

"You changed too. The Yuuki I knew wouldn't have taken charge like that."

She took his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, supporting him as he limped. He tried to pull away, but her grip was firm. Despite her own wounds, they managed to find a way to get across the path.

"I don't want to stand by and watch the people I love die. I won't do that anymore. I refuse to."

Zero sighed, and his breath brushed across the top of her head in an exhausted laugh.

"You always were stubborn when you put your mind to something."

Yuuki smiled, and pressed him closer against her as they walked to the Science building. She finally understood now, she finally felt right. She felt like she was making a difference here. Yuuki's resolve strengthened as she gazed up at Zero's bloody face and felt the bond between her and Kaname tug in warmth.

Kuran Yuuki would no longer bend like bamboo. She would be iron and stone, and she would influence peace and find a way to save the love that she attained.


	11. Silent Observation

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

…………………

_**Silent Observation  
**_

Her small mouth was pursed, her brows furrowed in concentration as she watched his pen move fluidly across the paper. The small x that he drew in the box had cut off all of her advances, and she internally sighed before sketching a small circle in the box next to his and then putting a large C over the game.

"Cat's game." Yuuki sighed. "No winner."

Kaname smiled softly, starting up a new check board on the back of some files that, let's face it, probably shouldn't have six games of tic-tac-toe on the back of them. They were in his private study, Yuuki seated in his lap with both their legs kicked up onto the edge of the desk. One strong arm was wrapped around her waist as they both quietly doodled on the papers in front of them.

These were Kaname's favorite days. He really should have been filing all the arrangements made, and start to make calls to certain powerful individuals; but he hadn't seen his girl in two weeks, and it had begun to make him antsy. So imagine his delight when she walked into the room two hours back and began this comical game of normalcy.

Her head rested back against his shoulder, her entire body relaxed against his, and she drew a circle in the center box. Kaname smiled and leaned his cheek against the crown of her head before placing an X in the upper left corner.

"We can be at this for hours," Yuuki laughed quietly. "You're never going to beat me."

"Is that so?" Kaname mused, his lips brushing against her hair.

"It is." The young pureblood nodded with a grin. "You can be Mr. Chess guy, but I am the master at tic-tac-toe."

The young man's eyes took on a delighted glow at this challenge, and once she finished blocking the top row of his advances, he struck.

Long fingers went under her chin, tilting her round face up towards his as brown eyes widened in mild surprise. His lips came over hers, and he could almost feel her melt in his embrace. Yuuki's pen dropped in limp fingers as she raised her hand up to cup his cheek, seating his mouth more tightly against hers. Kaname's arm tightened around her as his tongue lightly caressed her lips, delving further when she easily granted him the right.

Slender fingers stroked his cheek, going into his hair as a small sigh passed between them. Kaname dropped the pen after drawing three x's along the bottom row, and used that hand to idly run through the ends of her hair. He could feel his stomach flip and his blood rush in hot friction through his veins. She almost always had this effect on him. There was the soft, loving way her lips moved against his, and the sweet release of the fact that he was finally able to kiss her whenever he pleased. At certain times, it was almost enough to make him whoop with joy.

…You know, if Kuran Kaname was the whooping type.

Which he wasn't.

Most defiantly not.

….whoo!

A small noise of protest passed through her lips when he slowly ended the kiss. He smiled softly, and kissed her forehead. Oh, he did enjoy the gaze she set upon him in these after-moments. When her cheeks were flushed and her breathing was uneven. When her eyes held a soft, deep want that he didn't think she even understood.

His girl was breathtaking in these silent moments.

Yuuki blinked a few times, then glanced back over to their forgotten game and gasped.

"Hey!" She looked back at him and lightly smacked his chest. "You cheat!"

"I don't know what you mean." He replied, quite innocently.

"You…You kiss me and then you put all your players down there and win! That is cheating!"

Kaname pressed his forehead to hers, an amused smile gracing his features as she pouted.

"In the game of war, one mustn't get distracted." His voice was low, quiet, and it made her shiver.

"Yeah, well in real wars, the soldiers don't have you going around kissing them."

The Kuran heir laughed softly. "No, I think that'd be a tad bit on the inappropriate side."

"Just a tad."

Their laughter was interrupted by three loud knocks against the oak wood door, and Kaname felt her weight shift quickly on his lap as she sprung off the chair and ran until she hid under the table against the wall.

He raised a brow. "What're you-"

"Shh!" His beloved hissed. "Don't tell him I'm here!"

Kaname blinked before looking up at the closed door. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Kaname-sama…"

Ahh, Aidou. Yuuki must have escaped from her studies to visit him.

"…but have you seen Yuuki-sama anywhere?"

The future king stood and walked over to where his fiancé was crouched under the table, bending over to be level with her. Her teeth worried her lower lip, and her knees were pulled up to her chin, arms wrapped around them.

"Kaname…" She whispered. "…please."

His heart thudded loudly in his chest, and his smile grew as he gazed at her.

"You called me Kaname."

Yuuki's lips parted in confusion, and then she smiled gently back at him and lifted a hand to touch his face.

"That's your name, isn't it?"

He tilted his head, pressing a kiss to her palm, before answering the blonde on the other side.

"I can't say I have, Aidou. Sorry."

He heard the young vampire sigh before walking away down the hall. Kaname offered his hand, and Yuuki took it, pulling herself out from under the table as they grinned at each other.

"Sorry about that." She sighed. "He doesn't like that I'm skipping on my lessons to come see my fiancé."

The older boy froze, her hand in his, as he stared down at her. Fireworks exploded in his head, warm blood thrummed through him as his heart beat sixty miles per second. It was a day to be noted, first 'Kaname' and now 'fiancé'. He couldn't stop the true, full-blown smile that he sent to her. One that crinkled at the corner of his eyes, and had him laughing slightly. One that made her knees weak and her cheeks tinge just by seeing it.

"What?" She questioned nervously. "Why…are you…staring at me like that?"

His arms came around her and pulled her to him, elation extending through his entire being. His face went into her neck, nuzzling the skin there before pressing a warm kiss to her shoulder.

"Kaname, you're weirding me out."

He laughed and pulled away slightly to look at her.

"You've never called me that before. Your fiancé, I mean."

Yuuki's face shifted to an extremely red state, and she shrugged and pulled away from him, trying to hide her blush. She walked back over to the desk, suddenly extremely interested in the papers that resided there.

"Well that's what you call someone who you're going to marry one day, isn't it?"

"Yes." Kaname followed her path and grabbed her by the hips, lifting her up as she squealed and sitting her on the edge of the desk. "Yes, it is."

She tried to be more embarrassed, but it was so hard to when he was smiling like this. When his arms caged her to the desk and he was staring at her with such tender devotion in his gaze.

But Kaname, being ever silently observant of Yuuki, knew that she was still nervous about the slip of tongue, and changed the subject.

"If you want," He kissed the tip of her nose. "I could tutor you before your lessons with Aidou."

She laughed, her arms lazily circling around his neck as she pulled him to her. Her grin was like the warm sun upon his face, and he soaked it up as if he were a dying plant.

"Kaname, you'd be the tutor that Fathers worry about."

He shot a fake offended look. "Are you implying that if I helped you, not much work would get done?"

"Well look how much has gotten done today!"

"I disagree," He smiled. "I think it has been a rather productive day. I read over important matters, I taught you battle tactics, and evasive maneuvers, and how to be a good liar."

The young Kuran grinned with him. "You're right, it's been quite the accomplished afternoon."

Her lips brushed his cheek. "You should teach me how to distract the enemy now."

He leaned forward, his lips a breath away from hers.

"Oh that one is fairly simple…"


	12. Some Moments

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

_Author Updates in my Profile!!! Information on TSM!!!_

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

……………………

_**Some Moments**_

Sometimes I regret not telling her everything. She knows what I've done, of course. She knows of Shizuka, the council, and using Kiryuu.

…But there are things of the past that she doesn't know. Things that make me a coward.

I'm afraid. I'm afraid that if she discovers the truth, then she'll find me just as dirty as I am. She's already sheepish in affection. A hug here, yes, a small kiss there. I don't want it to disappear completely. Surely it will if she knew. She'll feel betrayed if she sees that I'm an ancestor. I've lied to her all this time, and there is not enough punishment in the world to atone for that. And if she knew of what Ichio…

I can't lose her.

There are these times, these moments in the night when I see her, and she is doing something simple and ordinary. Most of the time she's reading. But, I see her, and my soul just begins screaming 'notice me!'

She sees I'm here, of course, but she doesn't _see_. She is still so shy to this life, she can't see when I'm silently begging her to kiss me, or embrace me. To mark me in some way so the earth will know that I belong to her.

I know that a part of her loves Kiryuu. I can't, and wouldn't, fault her for that. He was a large part of her life, and the only confidant she had for a good while. I would be a fool to think she wouldn't be attached. I also cannot fault Kiryuu for loving my Yuuki. Don't misunderstand; it makes me livid to the core to know that he thinks of her like I do. But I can't fault him for it. With how brightly she shines, it's a wonder all of mankind isn't in love.

Juri once told me that she knew she was in love with Haruka when she realized that she never really felt like she was alive until he took her hand. She never felt like she was actually in a room, until he looked at her. That's how she knew that she wanted to spend forever with him.

"Kaname." She had said as she pet my head. "Your father…he is forever. One day you'll see. One day you'll see her, and you'll just realize that you don't care where your life ends. You don't care, just so long as she keeps looking at you."

I didn't understand it then, I was only three. Yuuki was brand new into the world, I had only seen her as a playmate. It wasn't until much later in her life, one simple and ordinary day. I remember exactly when it was. She had just turned fourteen the week before, and I was sixteen, and she was carrying groceries into the house with the Chairman. She just looked at me, over a brown bag full of food, and said two words as she smiled.

"Coming in?"

It was in that exact moment, that the word "forever" rang in my head. She was no longer a child, we were both growing into adults fairly quickly. She was no longer a friend, no longer a playmate, no longer someone who I had to wait for.

She was Yuuki. My Yuuki. She was forever.

I long for her. Every second of every minute, I wish that she was with me. Even when we're in the same room.

She's been standing outside my bedroom door for five minutes. I can hear her pacing, and practically feel her awkward nerves. I suppose that is what started these thoughts to begin with. Every time she pauses, I freeze, and wait.

Finally, after fifteen minutes of this game, she sighs and the door clicked open. She smiled tightly at me, her thin brows furrowing slightly as she shifted.

"Hi."

I could have burst into laughter at the anti-climactic entry. But I reserved myself, and smiled softly back.

"Hello."

She shifted on her feed, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her pajama top. She took a breath, and I put the book that I had been (not really) reading aside on the night stand. Her request came out so quickly I almost didn't catch it.

"CanIsleepnexttoyoutonight?"

I paused; my brain processed the words.

_Can I sleep next to you tonight?_

My heart thumped in my chest.

"Of course." I replied, trying not to appear as eager and overjoyed as I actually was. I'm perfectly aware that she chose the words 'next to' and not 'with you'. While I am only nineteen, I would never force her to give me something that she wasn't ready to give. That part of our relationship is her call, and something that I would never bring up or press into her.

I pulled on the quilt and sheet, smiling as she crawled in. A blush appeared on her face as she settled into the right side of the bed. I pulled the blanket over us, both lying on our sides to face each other. There was silence, and I watched her. Her hair was still damp, long and dark and softer than the finest silk. Her flushed cheeks looked clean and shined up to her small nose. She worried her lower lip, her dark eyes staring up at me. I found the familiar 'kiss me-hold me-notice me' scream beginning to rise in my chest. Repressing it, my hand lifted and brushed over her lip, pushing it away from her teeth.

"What're you thinking of?"

She laughed quietly, adjusting her head on the pillow as she shifted closer.

"To be honest," she blushed even more. "You."

My eyes widened. Well, this was a new development.

"Me?" I smirked, and snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her against me. "What about me?"

Her fingers toyed with the high collar of my night shirt, flowing down and sliding along the V-opening. I almost shivered when her gaze fell onto my neck.

"What I like about you."

A smile came across my lips and my fingers crawled under the back of her shirt, feeling the warm satin skin of her lower back. The pad of my thumb traced the dip in her spine.

"And what's that?"

Her hands went into my hair, petting and massaging lightly, almost as if trying to see if she liked the feel or not. My eyes fell closed, my body involuntarily relaxing.

"Your hair. I like how soft it's always been. Even when I was little."

Her fingers drifted over my closed eyelids, brushing down the bridge of my nose and across my cheeks.

"Your eyes. They're so deep, y'know? You always seem to be able to see into people's souls."

My eyes opened and gazed into hers. See into people's souls, huh? I hope they conveyed just how much I love her. She smiled brightly and cupped my cheek. I tilted my head, kissing her palm. She laughed, and her thumb stroked my jaw.

"They've always held so much bravery in them. I'm almost jealous of it."

I frowned. She thought of me so highly. I'm on such an enormous pedestal. Such undeserving praise. I shook my head, pulling her hand away as I rolled onto my back.

"I'm not brave, Yuuki." I sighed. "I'm simply smart enough to slip past trouble."

Most of the time, anyway. She sat up, pulling her knees to her chest as she stared at me, brows furrowing.

"That's not true. You're one of the bravest people I know."

I sighed. "There's so much you don't know."

I honestly had thought that I uttered it low enough that she didn't hear it. This was my first mistake.

A frown marred her face, and she ran a hand through her hair, pulling it away from her face.

"So explain."

I stared at her from the corner of my eyes. Please. Please don't push this. I couldn't stand you looking at me in such disgust. Not you. Anyone but you.

"Kaname."

I waited for the "-sempai", but it never came. My name lay bare on her perfect lips. As honest and open as I had always wished to be with her, but could never bring myself to scar her in that way.

"Tell me the truth."

It was a command. One that I had put off for so long.

My head turned to hers, lifting a hand and touching her cheek. "Please don't hate me."

The plea had caused her to lay her hand over mind, grabbing my fingers. Her face was so serious, softly sympathetic towards things she wasn't even aware of yet.

"Tell me…"

…So I did.

I told her a whispered tale of her mother's final months of pregnancy with her. When Juri's Kaname was an infant of two years old. When her Uncle Rido had swept him away and pulled the ancestor from his grave. How he had slammed the old one into the new child, the new blood. How two souls and hearts fused and created who she sees today. Created me. I watched a million emotions flash through her eyes as her hand covered her mouth. I whispered what had occurred the night her parents died. Why Rido came, why I couldn't stop him. Yuuki was quiet, tears silently falling down her cheeks. She quivered; her face pale and her eyes wide.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "For whatever worth it may be. I am deeply sorry for the pain that your elder brother went through."

She sniffed, and her voice was so small. "But you're…still you? I mean…you're still…all this happened before I was born. You're still the one I grew up with. The one I've always known."

I thought for a moment. "Yes." I nodded. "To a point, anyway. I wasn't able to access the memories back then. They would only come in flashes…do you remember how I sometimes got headaches at random? Well those were the memories. Now we've…melded, so to speak. I can't remember being any other way than I am. So yes…I've always been who you know."

She thought on this, and then nodded and smiled softly at me. Sadly, bringing my hand to her lips and kissing it. I held my breath, not daring to hope. So afraid of failing.

"Still my Kaname." She smiled with a sniffle.

I returned her smile, but with a heavy heart. I wish my story ended there. I wish that these were the most horrible things that had happened to me, and I could just accept her acceptance. But the worst was still to come.

"There's more…Yuuki, I'm sorry, but there's more."

I was ashamed of myself. So ashamed I blinked back the tears. I couldn't be weak. Not now. But I am. I told her the tale I still had nightmares of. How I would be punished in Ichio's house. Why I thought turning humans was such a deep taboo never to be crossed. How sometimes Ichio would come into my room when he was full of bloodlust or angry at all the secrets I held. Or simply angry that I existed at all. Angry that he couldn't break me. Angry that I never screamed when he got angry. I told her why sometimes I would have bruises and appear so haunted when I went to her home as a child.

It was with these tales that she cried the most. Sobs shaking her body as she listened. She would hold up her hand, and then stand. She would shake and sob as she paced the room before she came back. At one point she even went into the bathroom and held her head above the toilet, but she never let loose. What surprised me was that she always came back and nodded for me to continue. For me to share it all with her.

I hated myself for sharing this, though. For causing her tears. I knew that the price for the truth would be the loss of her smile. When I was finished, there was thick silence. Tears still fell down her cheeks as she sat limply against the headboard. Her face was so pale, she looked sick and horrified. Her eyes were so wide and glistening with tears. Her cheeks flushed from crying.

I sat as far from her as I could, She clearly didn't want to be touched right now, and I wasn't sure after telling her that I wanted to touch her. Not after all that I had said.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"_I'm _sorry." Her voice was weak, so very small. Her eyes met mine and she reached out her hand. Like a pathetic, small child I crawled over until it touched my face, soaking up any affection that she was willing to give. It was amazing that she was willing to give any at all. Her fingers moved down to my shirt and they curled into the fabric on my shoulder. She pulled until I fell against her. My head was pillowed on her breast. Her arms came around my shoulders and back, crushing me against her form. A thin cage of protection. She held me, crying into my head as she pet my hair.

"My Kaname…" She shook around me. "My sweet, beautiful Kaname…my Kaname…Oh God, I-I'm so-sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I love you. I love you, Kaname. I'm so sorry. I love you so much…I'm sorry. God…Kaname…"

My eyes clenched shut as I clung to her. We both cried. She stroked my hair and whispered apologies and promises of love and devotion. For the first time in my life, I cried. I sobbed into her chest, clinging to her an nearly breaking her ribcage with my embrace. I begged forgiveness. Forgiveness that I wasn't who she thought. That I had betrayed her in every way possible, physically and emotionally. That I couldn't be the man that she deserved. The clean, strong man that she had always believed that I was. Her entire image of me must be completely tainted.

She whispered and kissed all around my face. Her lips going over my forehead, eyelids, nose, and chin.

"I'm so sorry." She pressed a kiss to my cheek. "I wasn't there to protect you, Kaname and I should have been. I'm sorry. I promise you, Kaname, I'll always protect you. Always."

Sealing that promise, was a kiss. I kissed her back, our lips catching for a short moment as our tears dried.

"I love you." Yuuki whispered against my mouth. "I love you. Your taste, your smell, your warmth; everything." Her hands grasped my face and looked directly into my eyes. "_Everything,_ Kaname."

My lips trembled. Elation, validation, other words that end in 'ation' ran through me. I sound like a fool, I know, but I don't care. My girl loves me. She loves me. I have no more secrets. No more hiding. She loves me, even after she knows it all. No one can ever know just how I feel in this moment.

I kissed her deeply, my tongue brushing over hers.

"I've never loved anyone as much as I love you."

She smiled at my words, kissed me once more, and rolled over so she lay on me.

"I swear." Her lips and tongue came on my neck, caressing and coaxing small hitches in my breath. "Even if it takes me a thousand years, or two thousand, or the rest of our days. I will erase their touch until you can only remember my skin against yours."

I shuddered, my hands gripping her hips as blood shot down to my groin. She didn't know how seductive her promise was. Her teeth nipped at my collar bone, and she pushed my shirt up and over my head. She navigated across my chest and torso with lips, teeth and tongue. She left me gasping as she traced the angles of my body in ways I never thought that she would. Her fingers tugged on the drawstring of my pants. I heard her swallow nervously, and her fingers slid under the waistband and around me.

All movement ceased. My eyes shot open and I lifted up my head, staring at her as she looked right at me, her hand frozen on my length. There was nothing but certainty in her gaze, but a sort of questioning as to if this was alright. I nodded once.

"You have to tell me…" she murmured. "I've never…you have to help me…"

My blood boiled. Of course she never had. I sat up, kissing her nose as I wrapped my hand over hers. Tentatively, I began to move her palm against me.

"Slow…" I breathed. "Slow…ah!...you can…hm…you can tighten your grip. It's oh-ah!"

My heart pounded behind my chest, I hunched over, my forehead against her shoulder.

"L-like that?"

I shuddered and nodded; my breathing quickening. "Yes…move your hand up like-unh!"

Damn, she was a fast learner. I fell back against the bed, my hips starting to buck into her hand. My fingers clenched into the sheets. She was causing my blood to stream molten lava throughout my veins, pooling at the places her skin touched mine. Sensation overload was starting to form, the hot slide of her palm conflicting with the cool open air.

"Yuuki…"

Her fingers slid faster, and I could feel myself starting to unravel. I groaned, her hand slipped over the tip, and I fell into a blur of shattered lights and color.

She slowed her movements until she stopped completely, and moved up to the bed next to me. I smiled lazily at her, blinking as I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She kissed me slowly, her tongue lazily exploring my mouth in the same motions as her had, creating the same slow heat. Her lips traveled down to my neck again, her head tilting up as she nipped my ear.

"Can I?"

Oh…oh please…please…

My arms crushed her against me and I tilted my head, presenting my neck to her. Awaiting the moment that I had longed for.

"Always."

Her breath puffed out on my throat, hot and damp. Blood rushed to my groin, my hand clenching in her hair. Beautiful, sharp pain pierced through me, causing a gasp and a moan to pour from my lips.

Oh…Glorious…heaven…

"Yuuki…!"

Only her. I would only ever allow her to take me like this. Only Yuuki's tongue and fangs could put me through such divine torture. I shuddered under her, and she bit down harder. Her fangs sinking deeper into my skin, her tongue lapped more quickly.

I love you. I live for you. I've wanted you so very badly.

A long suck, her fingers pulling on my hair. She heard my thoughts, and this was clearly her reaction. She slowed, until coming to a stop and pressing her tongue to the wounds. She pulled away, and I could have died right there a happy man.

Her eyes were red and screaming of lust and dark promises. She licked the blood from her lips and then crashed her mouth onto mine. This kiss was unlike any that we've ever shared. It was raw. Growls came between clashing teeth and warring tongues. She sighed, sitting up on my torso as she pulled her own t-shirt over her head. My hands slid up to the newfound skin, feeling the bare, warm back and the fist of long hair in my hand.

She pressed against my chest with hers, the hard bud of her breast stroking my own as she pulled away.

Oh sweet hell.

Dark hair fell around her shoulders. Her lips were red and pouting, and the flawlessness of her body captivated me.

Her tongue stroked along my top lip, her fingernails scratching across the main vein in my neck and my hips bucked up into hers involuntarily.

"Only me…" She whispered. Her fingers trailed down over my chest, awakening every nerve ending in my body. "Only I will ever touch you again, Kaname."

I nodded, willing to do anything that she asked of me at this point. I kissed her like a dying man. My hands exploring terrain that I had only skimmed across in my wildest dreams. Yuuki taught me the true act of love on this night. I could hear it in her broken breaths, her small mewls and sighs. In her quiet instructions and light pants. I could taste it in her blood and arousal, in her kisses and the sweat that coated her skin. I could touch it when our warm bodies slipped against each other and she gripped over me, so hot and tight and I had never known anything could feel like this.

But best of all, I could feel it when she pulled me to the edge of the world, and shattered my all into a million fragments. Flashes of heat, beautiful friction, and breathtaking colors flew across my mind, all settling into one strong word.

Yuuki.

She fell over me, whimpering as a final shiver passed along her body. I held her against me, and she cuddled close. Her nose nuzzled into my neck, her labored breathing slowing with each breath she took.

"Forever?" I asked.

She shifted over me, and pressed her lips against where my heart rest.

"Forever." She repeated.

I smiled; closing my eyes as comfortable silence took the room .My life wasn't shrouded in darkness any longer. Yuuki had swept light over the earth, and now everything had a new meaning. Every life, every breath, every second had a purpose, a point. I would walk down this long path and not care how it ended as long as she stayed by my side.

"You have to let me go now, though." She whispered.

"What?" I frowned and blinked to life. "Why?"

"Well," She laughed. "If you don't I'll pee in the bed."

My arms fell from her and she crawled off the bed, giving me short kisses until she couldn't reach any longer. Before she disappeared behind the door, she turned and grinned a million watts of sunshine at me.

"Love you Kaname."

And you know…for the first time in my life…

I grinned back.


	13. She Blushed

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

……………..

_**She Blushed**_

Zero never could really sleep well when Yuuki was sick. Maybe it was his caretaker nature, or the fact that he had always been a light sleeper.

But it seemed like he was just counting the minutes until he could hear a soft, stuffy voice calling his name. It probably came with the territory of caring for an ill brother his entire life. He didn't really mind it; it was his sense of normalcy.

He was sitting on the patio, letting the breeze waft the scent of the cherry blossoms past his nose. A soft smile came on his lips as he stared at the tree. It reminded him of Yuuki in a way, how she blushed at the most random things and always smelled good and seemed to make everyone around her smile.

"Zero?"

There it was. He turned around and walked into the living room, his eyes taking their warmth as he stared at her. Ruffled hair, red nose, puffy eyes, long pajamas, and swaying on her feet.

"You should be in bed."

A pink tinge came over her cheeks, and he felt his heart shoot into his throat as he watched her blush. Her eyes filled with tears and she sighed, her shoulders slumping as she looked like a lost little girl.

"I…I threw up…"

"Oh…" He put a strong arm around her shoulders and gently pressed her towards the couch. "That's alright."

"It's embarrassing."

She sat down and he threw a blanket over her and tucked it under her sides. His hand came to her forehead and brushed her bangs lightly.

"Your fever is still pretty high. You stay here, I'll go change your sheets and make you some tea." He brushed his knuckles along her warm cheek. "Do you think you can hold down some soup?"

She sniffed and sighed. "I can try."

He smiled once more, turning to walk away when he felt a pull on his shirtsleeve. Zero turned back and saw her smile weakly at him, her hand slithered down to squeeze his fingers as she coughed a little.

"Thanks Zero."

That was the first time in his life he thought that he could spend the rest of his days taking care of this troublesome girl.


	14. Tulip Morning

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

I know this one is short, but I really couldn't picture it being any longer…

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

…………….

_**Tulip Morning**_

Cross flipped a pancake in the air, glancing at the patio to make sure that his new daughter wasn't getting into too much trouble.

"Yuuki?" He smiled and turned down the burner as he set the pan on it and poured more batter. "What're you doing out there?"

The tiny girl ran into the kitchen, dirt covering her nose as she smiled up at her adopted father. Little fingers curled around his pant leg and she tugged and pointed outside.

"What is it?"

He turned off the stove and then followed the child out to the garden, where she sat down in front of all the orange and pink flowers. Cross sat down next to her and put his hand on her head, running his fingers down her fine hair.

"Those are called Tulips." He explained. "They got their name because it looks like they have…well, two lips."

Yuuki ran a few fingers along the pink petals in a soft caress, and looked up at her father. She giggled when he pushed his lips together like a fish and leaned down, pecking her on the forehead. Cross joined her laughter and gathered her in his arms, hugging her in the epitome of fatherly adoration.

"Do you like Tulips, Yuuki?"

She nodded enthusiastically, and he laughed.

"Well then. I'll make sure we always have some."

The blonde man pet her head and then stood up, walking back in the house. He passed the counter and grabbed his cell phone.

_To: Kaname  
From: Cross_

_The tulips make her smile._


	15. Against The Coming Of The Night

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

……………………

_**Against The Coming Of The Night**_

Juri found him outside, looking over into the garden from behind the railing of the balcony. He had a wistful, sad look to his eyes and she didn't even need to wonder what he was thinking about. She knew her brother well, and his words from yesterday night floated through her young mind.

"_Your hand is yours to give, Juri. Don't let Rido or Mother and Father chose for you. If you want to marry in the family or out of it…it is always your choice. Your future. But I have to tell you…the thought of not seeing your face every night…of not being near you…it makes my heart ache."_

She couldn't respond when he said it, but she was so happy when she heard his words. She honestly didn't want to marry Rido. She grew up with the idea that she had to, but…but she loved Haruka so much. She didn't know when it changed, or when their relationship turned from her despising him to them becoming friends, but two years ago she was watching him laugh as they sat under the stars and she just found herself thinking that she could look at that smile every night for the rest of her life.

It was around that time that Rido noticed the shift in her attentions…and became far more possessive of his baby sister.

"What are you thinking?"

Blinking to the present, Juri found Haruka staring at her, cherry blossoms behind his head framing the night sky. He was smiling softly, his eyes holding the same warm mix of love and longing.

She didn't answer him, there was no time to, and she could hear Rido's footsteps coming down the hall inside. But if this was her one shot to finally tell him the secret that she's been holding in her heart, she was going to take it.

The youngest Kuran walked right up to him and threw her arms around his neck, letting her lips mold onto his. There was one solid beat that she counted in her head until strong arms enveloped her waist and pulled her crushingly against his tall frame. Long fingers buried into her hair as warm tongues lovingly caressed in a dance that they both knew was forbidden to these two individuals.

She sighed, her hands sliding down his neck as she swallowed the groan that he softly released. Her mouth pulled away from his just enough to let her breath tingle over his lips as her eyes stared into his with bottomless adoration and desire.

"Not being with Haruka," She whispered. "Makes my heart ache."

Instantly, as soon as she heard the balcony door open and Rido step in, she launched her body away from his. They stared at each other, breathing heavily, and she thought he looked breathtaking.

"Juri, come here please."

She began walking backwards towards her eldest brother, but maintained the silent contact with Haruka's eyes until she had to turn the corner to go inside. Her lips still stung with the ferocity of his kiss, and she bit her tongue with a held smile as she heard her brother's voices on the veranda.

"You look flustered, Haruka."

"…You look scared, Rido."


	16. I'm here always

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

………………………

_**I'm here…always**_

A sliver of light came across the carpet as the door opened a crack. A sleepy lavender eye looked into the room past silver bangs that needed to be trimmed. He saw that his brother was sleeping peacefully in the middle of his bed, sheets tucked over his shoulder as usual.

Ichiru lightly opened the door enough to slip through before closing it again. His hands fisted in the yellow fabric of his pajamas, pulling them up so he didn't trip on them as he walked. He felt a tickle in the back of this throat, but tried to refrain from coughing. He really didn't want to wake up his mirror image.

But, like always, he failed, and a small cough rose up from his throat and into his hand. His twin brother was sitting up within three seconds, as if he was never sleeping to begin with.

"Ichiru, what're you doing? You should be asleep."

The younger boy smiled sheepishly, coughing more into his fist. Zero started to get out of bed, but Ichiru waved him off, walking over and sitting on the edge of the mattress.

"I was asleep, but I had a nightmare."

Zero's hand came against his forehead, pushing up his bangs and sighing as he felt his palm heat up. Ichiru had a fever again. He gripped his brother around his shoulders, steering him to lie back in the bed.

"I'll go get you some water."

"No!" Ichiru grabbed Zero's arm, pulling him down on the bed next to him. "I'll be fine, please stay."

The oldest brother sighed, thinking for a moment before giving in and lying down next to him. Ichiru smiled, slipping his hand into Zero's and holding it between them. Zero squeezed his sweaty palm and relaxed into the bed, his other hand coming to pet the small boy's head lightly.

"So you had a nightmare?"

Ichiru nodded.

"You wanna talk about it?"

Fingers clutched his and a look of genuine fear came on his face. Zero's fingers stroked the hair on the back of his brother's neck lightly; petting him like one would a puppy. It was the one thing that was guaranteed to get Ichiru to calm down.

"You left. You left us Zero. You left me."

Zero smiled lightly and rested his forehead against his doppelgangers. Ichiru looked at him with large eyes, and Zero sighed.

"That's never going to happen, Ichiru. You have my hand. I won't let go."

Ichiru smiled, and nuzzled in closer, closing his eyes and falling asleep to the sound of his best friend's breathing.


	17. Waiting

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

_**Waiting**_

…………………..

Haruka waited at the bench in the park far from the Kuran house. It was spring, and the grass and dirt path was littered with pink petals. Trees and bushes framed the small hide away, a special spot that he and Juri had been meeting ever since that night.

He hated that they couldn't be together. That it had to be secret. That she was still engaged to Rido. Haruka had never liked sneaking around. They could get away with some things in the house. A kiss on the head, a hug, walking hand in hand. Things that weren't above the normal affections the elders saw.

But whenever they could they would slip away to their secret spot. The place where they could be who they were and where everything they wanted was in their grasp.

"Haruka!"

He stood up from his spot on the bench, a smile on his face as she came running up the hill and bounced into his arms. Haruka held her tightly to him, pressing butterfly kisses across her face until he kissed her full mouth. She sighed, returning his affections as her fingers sifted through his hair, whimpering his kiss became too bruising. He sighed, licking the blood away from her split lip.

Wait…

…split lip?

"Juri." He pulled away from her lightly and tilted her chin up, inspecting the tear in the side of her lower lip. "Juri, what happened?!"

She sighed, sitting on the bench and pulling him to sit next to her. Once he did, she eased into their usual comforting position, her leg rested over his, hanging in between his knees. He rested his hand on her arm as she traced in between his knuckles.

"She knows, Haruka." The younger girl whispered.

Ice went through his veins, and he stared down at her. "Mother…"

"You know how she's always favored Rido. She saw us the other day, in the library. We weren't careful enough. When she saw me running out to meet you, she called me to her. She warned me. Said I was promised to Rido. She said that if I came to see you like this again then she would disown me."

Haruka pushed his hands through her long hair, kissing her forehead. He should have known this would happen. They hadn't even done anything, really. He just…he loved her. To finally hear that she loved him was the greatest joy that life ever gave him.

"You shouldn't have come today, then."

Brown eyes glared up at him. "It was my choice to come! They're going to find out someday anyway. Why not sooner than later? Besides…Rido may be Mother's favorite. But I'm Father's only daughter. He will side with me. As will Grandfather. Mother's opinions won't matter then."

He sighed into her hair. She was so stubborn. It would get her into trouble one day. She lifted her head up and kissed his chin, flicking her tongue out to suck on it lightly.

"Besides." Her voice sounded dark, and when he looked down, her eyes had taken on their crimson hue. "I had something important to inquire of you today."

A shiver passed over him, his eyes darkening to their scarlet tone. "Oh?"

"Mm." Her lips traveled down his neck, licking over his jumping pulse and her foot twisted around his calf. "I want you to take from me."

"…Juri…"

"I mean it, Haruka."

He blinked down at her, meeting her hazy gaze with his own. "If we do that…we can't ever go back to how we were..."

"I don't want to go back."

Haruka's tongue dipped out to wet his lips, and instantly she followed it back to his mouth, her hand coming around the back of his neck. He growled low in his throat and she tugged on his hair, pulling away slowly.

"Please…"

Her neck tilted back, and blood pounded through his veins. His restraint broke and he leaned his head down, hand fisting in her hair as he licked a clean line along her throat. She whispered endurances to him as his fangs skimmed along her skin. She shuddered, her hands fisting in his hair and he finally bit down. Her blood rushed into his mouth more addicting than the most potent drug; he crushed her to him, drawing more and more out until she was completely seated in his lap. She moaned and he growled in response, taking a long draught as her body convulsed in his arms.

Her thoughts flooded his head, desire pounding through his veins and he pulled away just enough to pull his coat and shirt collar down, presenting his neck to her.

"Yours." His voice was ragged. "Take."

He licked her neck, and went back to drinking, his whole body coming alive as her fangs claimed him.

It didn't matter if their scent would be all over each other now. It didn't matter if the whole world found out about them. Haruka would wait here for her always.

After all, he had time.


	18. What Mayu Remembers

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. Or Fatal Frame 2, which is where the title of this piece comes from, it's from a video game called Fatal Frame, and the setting is an old Japanese Village. It's a survival Horror game about ghosts, and so….this piece just seemed fitting…ghosts and survival horror and all that.

…………………

_**What Mayu Remembers**_

"I really do hate to do this to you," The old man spoke softly, but there was the underlying tone that he really did enjoy seeing it. "But acting as your official guardian is the same thing as acting as your parent. Now wouldn't your parents punish you for not telling them where you snuck off to?"

Kaname didn't respond. What was the point? No matter what he said, this would still happen. He had been so sure to take enough precautions not to get caught when he snuck out, but he knew that sooner or later Ichio would find out. Turned out to be sooner rather than later. When the ten-year-old pureblood came in through his bedroom window before dawn, his guardian was sitting in the armchair of his room waiting for him. Oh he gave on the guise of a worried adult, and questioned where Kaname ran off to, but when the boy didn't say a word, he took deeper measures to make him speak.

Kaname's lip was still split open with the measures the man had taken.

A hunter-charmed rope bound his hands behind his back, around the post of the garden archway. Ichio caught the handsome face in his hand and forced dark eyes to stare into his own.

"Now you will stay out here, all day, and think about what you've done. You will not get any blood tablets. You will not get any food. I will send Takuma out to get you at sunset. Do not sneak out again, Kaname-sama…do you understand? It worries me…horrible people could get you. Do you understand?"

Silence was the man's reply, and a backhand across his face was the boy's reward.

"I asked you a question."

"Yes." His young voice was raw and low. "I understand."

And he was left alone with the rising sun, sitting out in the garden to reflect on his misfortune. But it wasn't a misfortune, not to him. He was firm in this belief even as his own blood trickled down his chin and dripped onto the dark grass. The rays of light hit his face and he grunted and tried to tilt his head away from the brightness, but everywhere he turned he was hit. Light was better for the flowers, the wooden arc the beginning to a wonderland of colors and beauty.

His stomach growled, his throat going dry, and he sighed. It was going to be a long day.

He struggled against the ropes binding his hands together, but the more he twisted the harder they dug into his skin, and as soon as they met his blood, they burned him.

He bit his lip, tiny fangs piercing through, and held back a cry.

He had to remember why he was here. Why he would be put out here again. Why he would endure it all.

Kaname closed his eyes, stopped struggling, tried hard to ignore his burning throat, and thought of her.

It occupied him for a few hours, thinking of her scent and warmth. Thinking of how she felt in his arms and how much he loved that house that she resided in. How he felt like nothing could ever harm him when he was with her. How she smiled at him as if he was the only thing that mattered in the world.

He was loved.

He was needed.

One person thought innocently of him, and that alone was enough to tide him over.

He tried to sleep, but the sun wouldn't allow it. He struggled against the binding again until his wrists were raw, and tears stung his eyes. Guardian, ha. That man was no guardian. That man was the enemy. His parents never would even consider this as a punishment.

Come afternoon, he was holding himself over with the song that his tiny joy had taught him earlier that night. Something about a rabbit and a faerie. There were hand motions, and she smiled and laughed as she had done them. Such an odd little duck his girl was.

He hummed the song under his breath, focusing on the scent of cherry blossoms and violets, tulips and daisies. He ignored the starving throb in his gut and the ache in his wrists and the sweat from his brow.

Long hours later, the sun was descending, and his blonde friend came to see him. Takuma held a small knife and had gloves on his hands. His green eyes held sympathy and sorrow for the boy. He went behind him and started to cut the bindings.

"Grandfather is taking his bath. He has meetings with the council to attend until midnight. Return then, he won't check on you until he gets back. I promise."

Kaname felt relief as Takuma pushed a pill in between his lips, and freed his hands from the ropes.

"God Kaname…you look like death. Maybe you should just stay here tonight."

"I'm fine." The older boy whispered. "I need to see her."

He took the pills that Takuma gave him, and ran. He didn't worry about how his coat chafed against his raw flesh, or how he probably would be found out when he returned. He simply ran to the place that he called home and threw the tablets into the back of his throat.

When he finally reached that cozy house, he saw her face in the window, and she saw him. She ran out the front door, smile plastered onto her face, and threw herself into his arms.

"Kaname-sama!"

Kaname's knees buckled and he fell into the grass with exhaustion and took heavy breaths as he pulled her into his lap. The tiny girl's brow furrowed with confusion and she caught his burnt wrists peeking out from under his coat sleeve.

"Oh no!" Small fingers grabbed his and she pulled the rough fabric down, looking at the wound before bringing it to her lips and kissing it softly. It stung a little more with the action, but Kaname didn't mind. The comfort it brought with it was much needed.

"Did you fall down, Kaname-sama? Your face is hurt too!"

Little hands grasped his cheeks, and he sighed, pulling her to him and embracing her tightly. His fingers floated through her hair, across her cheeks, down past her shoulders and around her back. He rocked her slowly, his face burying into the soft warmth of her neck as he inhaled her sweet scent.

It was then that the girl realized that he was whispering her name repeatedly. He pulled away from her a little, just enough to gaze into her cherub face, and kissed her cheek.

"Yuuki."

She smiled at him, and lifted a hand to pet his hair.

"It's okay, Kaname-sama. I fall down a lot too."

He smiled, and his lip ached with the motion. He embraced her to him once more, closing his eyes and sighing into her hair.

She was worth it.

She was worth everything.

He would take all the horrors they would throw at him as long as he could embrace her when they were over.


	19. Home Is What You Make It

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. Except for Naomi and Takeru…though I kinda don't own them. Just their names.

I see lots of stories with Kaname and his Mom and Dad…but never with Zero and his parents. So here's one for them.

………………………………………………

_**Home Is What You Make It**_

Kiryuu Naomi had always been a night owl; it was the fate of those who were Hunters. Stay up to get your target enough nights and then you'll stay up on your days off as well. But currently, she was up for an entirely different reason. One that she never thought she would stay up for.

Kiryuu Takeru was on a mission without her.

She sighed, lavender eyes staring at some catnip commercial on TV as she bit into a half eaten candy bar. When she first met the Kiryuu boy, he annoyed the crap out of her. He was a horrible hunter, and her parents hated him on the premise that he was a wimp. He would follow her around like a puppy, asking her for dates.

…But it was that one mission, looking at him and how strongly he fought for a better world, which made her eyes see the strong man that was beneath his dorky exterior.

And now she calls him husband.

Sometimes she calls him 'moron'. But mostly, husband.

It was a miracle that she loved him this much, so much that it cut into valuable sleeping time. Which, believe me, you need when you have twin seven year olds. Zero and Ichiru took all the energy right out of her.

Scratching the messily done bun of blonde hair at the back of her head, she yawned and stretched her arms up, groaning as some knots in her shoulders strained. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement in the doorway, and her head shot around.

A small, gentle smile crossed her lips as she relaxed once more.

"Zero…baby, what're you doing up this late?"

The small boy rubbed a hand over his light eyes, and walked over to the couch to sit next to his Mother. His silver hair was mussed with sleep, and he looked up at her with tears.

"I had a bad dream."

Naomi smiled, and pulled him to her until he was seated in her lap, his head resting against her chest. She set the chocolate bar down on the coffee table and ran her fingers through his hair.

"What about?"

Zero sighed, shrugging slightly as his eyes closed. It was the second best thing to get him to sleep. Zero was a night owl, much like his Mother. So when she wanted him to sleep, she would light a candle and he would watch the flames until sleep took him. Either that or she would hold him and pet his head until she heard him snore.

"I can't remember." He murmured. "Just that it was scary."

His Mother nodded, and kissed the top of his head, turning her attention back to the old movie she had been watching.

"What're you doing up, Mommy?"

She smiled. "I can never sleep when Daddy's gone."

Zero tilted his head up, staring at the young woman in confusion. "How come?"

Naomi laughed quietly; she asked herself that question every day.

"One day you'll understand, Zero. You'll meet a girl and suddenly you won't be able to sleep unless you know that they're okay."

The boy frowned, his nose wrinkling up in disgust. "Girls are gross. And dumb."

"Hey now!" She poked him. "What about me?"

Zero rested his head back against her chest, listening to the steady thump of her heart and the sound of the TV. "You're not a girl, you're Mommy."

Naomi rolled her eyes, but smiled none the less. "Well thanks, kiddo."

They sat in silence for a while, comforting warmth seeping into their systems. Zero loved his brother, very much, but he would only ever relax with his Mother. It seemed like with Ichiru, he always had to be the big kid. He had to take care of him; he had to be a good hunter because he knew that Ichiru had trouble with it. He had to protect him.

But Mommy was strong. He had seen how strong she was years ago when she stopped the bad vampire from taking that girl in the market. And Mommy was a grown up. She'd never let anything happen to him, so he could relax with her and Daddy. He couldn't sleep when Mommy and Daddy weren't there.

"I think I know what you mean, kinda."

Naomi glanced down at him, a smirk on her face.

"Oh you do, huh? There a girl in your class that isn't so dumb?"

"Nooo!" He frowned. "They're all annoying!"

His Mother laughed and ruffled his head. "You say that, but one day you won't think so."

"Why do all grownups say that?"

"Because all grownups once thought that girls and boys were gross."

Zero's brow furrowed in confusion. No way, all the girls in his class WERE gross. They were weird too, they always giggled when he walked by and when he once asked Mikura Misao for a pencil, her face turned red like a tomato. Then she got mad when he said she should go see a doctor for her red face. Gosh, he was just trying to be helpful. And then when Ichiru helped Yamamoto Nami up after she fell down, she got the weird red face too. Girls have a red face, and that was just weird.

"But you kiss Daddy." He yawned. "So you don't think he's gross."

She stroked his head, rubbing his shoulders as she spoke. "Not anymore. But one time I thought he was real gross."

"But he's Daddy!"

"Well, Daddy was weird."

Zero didn't understand it, but he knew that sometimes his parents acted funny. One minute they'd be arguing about something, and then they'd look all odd at each other and smile and then tell him and Ichiru to go to bed. He hoped he didn't act that weird when he was a grown up.

His thoughts were interrupted when they heard the front door open. Zero lifted his head up and looked over the couch to the doorway, waiting to see him walk in. After about a minute, the silver haired man turned the corner and stopped.

"Zero…son, what're you doing out of bed?"

"I'm talking with Mommy."

Takeru sighed, rolling his shoulder as he walked over and plopped on the couch next to them. He lifted his wife's legs, setting them down on his lap as he pat his son's hip.

"And that couldn't have waited until morning?"

"No."

His Father blinked. Well…guess there was no arguing with that, then, was there? He smiled and ruffled the boy's hair, looking over at Naomi and then at the candy on the table.

"Chocolate again?"

"Hey, shut up, I didn't have any for a month."

He smirked in the same way that his two boys sometimes did. "Feeling a little PMS, dear?"

Naomi rolled her eyes and Zero looked between the two.

"What does PMS mean?"

His Mother smiled sweetly. "Papa's Mutilated Scrotum."

"Oh…what's a scrotum?"

"OKAY!" Takeru lifted Zero up and threw him over his shoulder, smiling as the boy laughed and whacking his wife on the behind. "Time for younglings to get into bed!"

"But-"

"No buts!"

Zero looked up at his Mother laughing on the couch as his Father carried him away.

"Night Mommy!"

"Night baby." She grinned. "I love you."

"Love you too!"

When Takeru threw his son into bed, it ended with a wrestling match, that he eventually let Zero win. As the two males were sitting out of breath and laughter, Zero crawled over his Father and sat on his stomach.

"Daddy?"

"Hm?"

"When did you stop thinking Mommy was gross?"

Takeru frowned. "I never thought Mommy was gross." Then he sighed and smiled. "Of course, if you're asking when I knew I loved Mommy, that's a far easier question to answer."

"Okay." Zero nodded. "When did you know you loved Mommy?"

"Hmm…" He pulled Zero down into the bed and tucked the covers up around him. "I don't think it was a particular day. Or moment, even. I just…when I started thinking of Mommy as home, that's when I knew. I never felt like I was okay until she was there."

The child stared at the man in the utmost confusion. Takeru laughed and ran a hand over Zero's head, then leaned down and kissed his cheek.

"One day you'll get it, don't worry."

Takeru left the room, and Zero slept with the lingering thought of how odd his parents were.

………………………

"Zero?"

The sixteen year old boy glanced up as he took off his shoes, watching as she bounded into the kitchen. Yuuki grinned at him, tucking some dark hair behind her ear.

"You look like you were thinking about something."

He shook his head, watching her move around to the cabinets and fridge in her pajamas.

"Oh," She smiled at him. "Well, welcome home!"

He could hear a familiar movie playing in the other room, and he smiled softly as she grabbed a candy bar out of the fridge and pat his arm before walking out of the kitchen.

"Yeah." He murmured. "I'm home."

_I get it now…_


	20. The Long Road Home

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. Nor do I own the legend of the Red String that connects people together, which is kinda what I make reference to at the end.

……………………

_**The Long Road Home**_

_"I only did that cause I didn't want you to die."  
_

_"I know I've said this before but, I'm on your side."  
_

_"Should I be letting you use the time you've got left to do stuff like this?"  
_

_"I won't speak to you again until you admit Zero is innocent!"  
_

_"I believe in you Zero, so you'll be fine."  
_

_"Zero!"  
_

_"Zero?"  
_

_"...Then I'll keep running, so you have a reason to live."_

The sun beat down on him, making his entire body look sicklier than it was. He trudged along the muddy trail, not paying any mind to the fact that his pants were caked in dirt up to his knees. He sighed, hunger and sorrow ripping through him.

Liar.

Liar.

She's a liar.

All those things she said. Everything she said. It was all a big fat lie to make him a laughing stock. Kuran knew. The Chairman knew. Ichijou knew too.

And they just sat and watched Zero fall in love with her. They didn't tell him anything.

It hurt. It _hurt_. He tried to turn off his feelings, tried to make his heart consumed with anger. But he couldn't. When he laid in a different bed each night, no matter where he was, when he closed his eyes all he saw was her face.

That beautiful, trustworthy face.

He hated her.

No, that wasn't true.

He hated that he didn't hate her. He hated that he still loved her even after everything that she put him through. He hated that he could still feel her hand in his hair, coaxing him to sleep. That he could feel her arms around his torso, begging him to stay with her. That he could still feel her lips against his in the sweetest goodbye that he had ever had.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fucking fair.

Kuran had it all. He had power, wealth, and an entire legion of vicious vampires to bow before him. He could have had any woman that he wanted - human or vampire.

But he had to take her.

Zero had nothing. He didn't have a family. He didn't have friends. He didn't have money, or power, or stability.

And he didn't care. Long ago, he had made his peace with his parent's death. He had made his peace with the fact that actual friends weren't an option. He had made peace that he wouldn't live a life of grandeur.

He didn't care. He didn't want it.

He wanted one thing. The only thing he wanted was her. He didn't have anything..._anything_.

And he just wanted her. But Kuran had to rip her away from him. To change her soul before his very eyes and squeeze Zero out of her heart until all that remained was Kuran.

He killed the girl that held Zero's heart so safely between her hands and replaced her with a lying, selfish vampire.

...Then why was he going to her?

He hated her. He hated them. He didn't want anything to do with them, but God the pull was too strong. The desire to just drop his gun and put his head in her lap, to feel her fingers stroke through his hair like they did when he was younger.

He wanted it too much.

He was so tired.

_Please_, tears stung his eyes and his fists clenched as he shoved them in his pockets and blinked them away. _Please, Yuuki...I'm tired..._

He didn't think that he was, that he could be until last week. He had Bloody Rose in a young level E's face, and the man was whimpering with fear. Zero caught his own reflection in the vampire's eye, and he didn't even recognize himself anymore. His eyes had dark circles underneath them, and had grown a coldness that never completely resided there.

_Who am I?_

He had sighed, and lowered the nickel-plated gun from the man's head. _Enough. I've had enough._

He went to the Chairman, and got instructions as to where the Kuran home was. Cross wouldn't have given them, but something in his heart tugged out. Zero looked exactly like he had all those years ago when he went to find Juri and laid down his sword.

So now Zero trudged up the path to the Kuran manor, intent on going into the hidden rooms below the earth to see the girl that squeezed his heart with an invisible fist.

He was pathetic. He was so pathetic. He used to make fun of people like this, men in those movies who couldn't seem to go on without the woman by their side. Or those boys in school who simply couldn't get their minds off girls.

But now a string pulled him down the lane, to the mansion up ahead. To them. To her.

Because as much as Zero wished to hell that it hadn't…

The blood that she washed from his body five years ago had sprinkled red on the unseen tie from Yuuki to Zero. All he could do now was let it guide him.


	21. Lazy Afternoon Cloud Watching

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

For my Yori, because she's the best bestie ever.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters. Or the episode "Choices" from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, this fic was written based on a scene of Buffy and Willow in that episode.

……………………………

_**Lazy Afternoon Cloud Watching**_

Kaname rubbed sleep from his eyes as he buttoned up his black shirt. He rotated his neck around, sighing as he listened to the grandfather clock on the far wall. The vampire prince drew back the curtains, watching the sky's shifting colors of pink, purple, and blue. Normally he wouldn't be up this early on a Saturday, but there were things he had to take care of with the Chairman tonight.

He looked out to the grounds of the school and saw all the way to the Day dorms. A few students were on the baseball field playing a game, some girls watching them and cheering. Some other day class students were riding a few of the horses or putting them back in the stables. He was happy that the windows were sound proof; he didn't especially want to hear whatever the rest of the world was chattering about.

A flash of silver caught his eye and he looked out to the open field behind the race track. Well, now this was a rare sight. Kiryuu was actually smiling. The guardian leaned over and pet the white horse he was perched upon, patting her neck lightly before digging his heels into her side once and the trotted off again further away from the school.

If Kiryuu was over there, then…

Kaname searched the grounds until he found the person he was looking for, and a smile played on his lips as he watched her.

Yuuki was out of her school uniform, instead wearing light blue jeans and some sneakers with a white t-shirt and blue pea coat. God, she looked cute. She was sitting near the lake with that other girl. What was her name…Yuri? No, not Yuri…Yori! That was it! Yuuki's friend. They seemed close from what Kaname saw. He opened up his window, focusing on the two girls. Curiosity got the better of him, as it often did when things came to Yuuki, and he didn't see the harm in listening in on their conversation.

"I think he's out to get me!"

"Oh Yuuki-chan, he is not!"

Yuuki flopped down on the grass next to her best friend and raised her brows. "Oh yeah? Oh yeah?"

Yori nodded once. "Um. Yes."

"Oh yeah? Then how come he's given me D's on half my English papers?!"

"Maybe they weren't that good?"

Yuuki's jaw dropped and she tucked some hair behind her ear.

"He didn't even read them! He just reads my name and is all 'Oh well, it's Cross, might as well just slap the D on there. She's not gonna make it!'"

The blonde girl suppressed a smile as silent giggles shook her form at Yuuki's spot on impersonation of their English teacher. Kaname laughed lightly, happy to see the girl so laid back for once. She always seemed so nervous around him; it was good to see her silly side.

The two girls continued to talk about classes for a bit longer until it grew silent and Yuuki suddenly pointed up to the sky.

"Is it just me, or does that cloud totally look like a giant fire breathing bunny?"

Kaname almost blew his silence by barking out a laugh, but he pressed his hand over his mouth. He didn't want the other members of the night class to know he was awake yet. Yori tilted her head to the side and her brow furrowed.

"It looks more like…like a man in a top hat."

Yuuki laughed out loud. "Where do you get that from?"

"Well where do you get fire breathing bunny?! I swear, sometimes I wonder about the things that go on in your head."

"Don't." The smaller girl laughed. "My head is a scary place to be. It's full of sweets and desires of okonomiyaki. Ohh." Yuuki sighed, a deep longing coming on her face.

"Okonomiyaki…"

"You had some yesterday."

"I want some more."

"You're gonna get fat."

"I will not!"

Their arguing desolved into giggles as they lightly pushed and shoved each other. Yori sighed, her giggles subsiding. Her face grew a bit serious, something that Yuuki quickly took notice of.

"Yori?"

"I was thinking." She sat up, pushing her curly hair out of her eyes. "Maybe I should go to college here. At Cross University."

Yuuki's eyes widened. "Yori! You can't! You were going to go away for school. You've got the test scores for it!"

The other girl shrugged, green eyes alight with friendship. "Yeah, but…other schools don't have my best friend. And you're going to be here. So why not?"

Kaname's brow furrowed as he leaned forward, wishing to hear more of this. He never really knew Yuuki's friend, he didn't think her important to be honest. But if this girl was willing to rearrange her future then he wanted to find out just how close the two were.

Yuuki sat up, grabbing her best friend's hands. "Yori…but there are better schools. I don't want you to change everything just for me."

"I'm not just doing it for you!" Yori snickered and pushed her roommate's shoulder slightly. "Jeeze, self-absorbed! This is a good school! And I could be an English teacher here. I could give people fair grades."

Yuuki looked like she was about to cry. They stared at each other a minute, almost like they could read the other's mind.

"Really?"

Yori nodded.

Kaname grinned as his object of affection squealed and pounced on her best friend. The two girls laughed and rolled in the grass, almost falling down the hill. Yuuki sighed and let go of her friend, sighing and catching her breath.

"I feel the need for sugar. Lots and lots of sugar."

"I bet the café is still open. We could get parfaits!"

"PARFAITS!"

Yuuki stood and grabbed a hold of Yori's hand, pulling her up. They ran off, undoubtedly to get permission from the chairman to go off campus.

Kaname sighed and closed his window again, leaning back on the frame as he watched them go. He would have to keep an eye on Yori. She was important to Yuuki, and that made her an asset that he must keep.


	22. Bluebells

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

_**..................................**_

_**Bluebells**_

"Zero!"

_Just walk faster, just move faster._

"Zero, wait!"

_Don't listen to her, she'll just lie to you. You know the truth._

"Zero, I said-"

And with a blink she was in front of him.

"Wait."

He blinked at her, his whole body tensing as the rain poured down on them. The trees swayed in the wind, wet leavessliding heavy drops onto the earth. Yuuki had her zip up hoodie on, white with rainbow splotches all over; Zero had gotten it for her three Christmases ago. The yellow hood was pulled up over dark hair that he remebered, but was still so different.

Everything about her was the same. Same blue jeans, same grey tennis shoes, same worried and innocently large eyes. Same thick brown hair, same height, same adorable face and thin mouth.

But everything about her was different. Her jeans were tailor made, her tennis shoes were new, and her dark eyes held a hint of maturity and wisdom that hadn't been there. The thick brown hair that he knew was soft was so long, so much longer than she normally would have kept it. She told him once that it took longer to wash and just kept getting in the way. Her face was flushed, and her mouth held fangs.

His heart clenched inside his chest.

She didn't even smell like his Yuuki. Her blood was different.

He shook his head, trying to get the memories away from him. His darkened hair plastered against his forehead, almost hiding the glare in his gaze.

"Get away from me."

"No."

Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides, her lips frowning at him. He tried to step around her to the side, but she blocked him. He moved to the other side, and she followed. He grew tired of this dance, and sighed heavily. It was cold out, and Zero's jacket was soaked and heavy on his body. He wanted to go back to his apartment, he didn't want to be here. He came for the meeting, he accepted that he would have to work with Kuran, and now he was done. He didn't want to be at the Pureblood's manor anymore.

"Zero," Her bell-like voice was so quiet against the thunderous rush of the weather. "Can you please talk to me?"

"What is there to talk about?" He scoffed. "I think we said everything that needed to be said a year ago."

Yuuki rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I disagree. Things have changed, and I would like to make you clear on what has."

A muscle in his jaw clenched as he bit the inside of his cheek. _Try to contain it. Try. Try. Try._

God she smelled so good.

"Make me clear?" He repeated and huffed out a humorless laugh. "What, you giving me orders like a dog now? Why not, Yuuki? I'm tamed to you after all, isn't that right? Am I your dog?"

Her sorrow shown through her eyes and she stepped forward, the pain evident on her face when he stepped back.

"That's not true, Zero, and you know it. You're your own person, you always have been, and you always will be. But....Zero...I can't..." She sighed and looked down at her shoes before looking back up at him, and her eyes nearly tore out his heart and shredded it. "Zero...I miss you. Please, _please _talk to me."

Maybe it was the hidden fact that he missed her too. Or how her pain and longing was laid bare and undiluted in her voice. But something made him stop, and actually listen.

"You have exactly one minute."

Yuuki nodded, her fingers toying with the hem of her hoodie, like they always had when she was nervous.

"I should have written something down, but now I have all this pressure and I have no idea what to say."

"Fourty-five seconds."

"_Alright_!" Her eyes took on their determined glow again, and she kept walking until she backed him further and further into the woods as she spoke. "I'm the same as I have been. I am Yuuki. This is me. I have the same ideals, the same wants, the same desires as I always have. I still consider the Chairman my father, I still love Yori-chan, I still sleep in really late, and I still hate beans. But dammit, Zero, you're treating me like I'm some sort of freak, and that's not right. You know what that is? It's racist! I didn't deny you or push you away when I found out that you were a vampire, but you deny and push me away because I am? You know what you are? You're a hypocrite! You are hypocritical!"

The hunter sighed and rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the blood that was boiling in his veins at her accusations...however true they may be. She still had twenty seconds, and he would hear her out till the end, so she better finsh this up good. It would be the last thing she would ever say to him. No matter how this ended, he was leaving her for good.

"And I can't..." She lost the determined anger that was in her voice, and he thought he could hear tears. He glanced up at her, seeing the familiar expression of her trying to hold back from crying, and the thick way she swallowed in her throat.

"...Dammit Zero, I miss you. You're my best friend. There is no one that knows me like you do. And I'm going through things, and changes, and I need my best friend here to support me, and you're going through things and I want to support you too. It's what we've always done. And I...I....I'm so tired, Zero. I'm so tired of trying to fight how I feel. Kaname knows, he's always known. And I'm such an idiot for only realizing it recently. How stupid I've been - _we've_ been - for dancing around the subject when if we had just freaking _said_ it then..."

His lips parted, as realization started to dawn on him. The things that she was referring to and trying to say. She loved him. She loved him, and apparently had loved him for a while. Well, shit, thanks for saying it now.

If it was even possible, his heart felt like it was literally being shredded in his chest. He felt his eyes start to sting, but didn't say anything. They stared at each other, silence thick between them. He couldn't tell if she was actually crying, or if the rain had just finally drenched her hood.

"Say it then."

She blinked, her brows furrowing. "I'm past a minute..."

"_Say. It_."

He was masochistic for wanting to hear it, to be able to hold the memory of the words leaving her lips and meant for him. And perhaps he was being a bit sadistic too, because he wanted her to say it. Because he knew that it would hurt her to hurt him, and right now he wanted to hurt her.

She took a deep, shuddering breath, and the words rang in the air between them, ending with sobs finally breaking her. One hand clenched the fabric over her stomach as she lifted a sleeve covered hand over her mouth to stifle her tears.

Zero nodded slowly and bit his lip before crossing his arms and smiling sadly at the girl.

".....It doesn't do much good now, does it?"

"I kn-know!" She gasped. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Zero! I just...I love Kaname, I do, I love him so very much. But...I can't forget you. I don't want to. Zero I...I can't _be_ without you. I can't do it anymore. I just want to talk to you again, and I need you!"

This time, it was as if her words physically pushed him. He walked backwards, his head shaking and his breath shuddering.

"Shut up." He barked. "You can't do this, Yuuki! You don't have the right! Not anymore, it doesn't work that way!"

"I know that!"

The hood fell off her head, and her bangs started to stick to her forehead. They kept looking into each other, the gasping sobs starting to quiet from her. It was too much, but at least it was finally out. Zero moved towards her, his face going close to hers as he felt his finger nails cut into the palms of his hand. He stared into those large, stunningly beautiful eyes, and asked the question that he knew would break them both.

"What am I supposed to do now, Yuuki?"

Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was fate, or maybe it was just teenage hormones mixed with primal urges reacting together at seeing the one you longed for so close. But the next thing Zero knew, her lips were crushed under his, his hands grasping her upper arms in an almost bruising hold. His hand slid down to her waist, pulling her roughly against his form as he felt her drenched arms slither around his neck. Nimble fingers threaded into his hair, pulling on the wet locks as she sighed into his mouth. Hot breaths mixed and warm lips met again and again, sparks shot down Zero's veins, his hand going to the back of her neck and angling her head closer to his. She had to be closer, always closer.

Calloused fingers slid under her shirt, feeling the chilled skin under his hand and he couldn't tell if she shivered from his touch or from the rain. Yuuki's teeth nipped at his lower lip, her hands stroking his cheeks before slipping back into his hair and fastening him tighter against her. It almost felt as if she was afraid he would slip away from her again, that if she let him go then she would wake from this dream. He pulled away from her mouth, hearing a small protest from her before his lips and tongue traveled down her neck, and her eyes rolled up. Sharp fangs scraped gently along the column of her throat, and Yuuki's hand slipped down to his shoulder, her fingers clenching in his jacket as shaking puffs of damp heat shivered across his neck.

Suddenly he was doing all the things that he had desired for so long. All those nights, taking her blood in an empty class room, or in her dorm room, or in the bathroom. Having her body pressed against his as he fed from her was the greatest mockery of his condition, a mockery of the things that he desired. He never wanted to have it like that, to press her against a wall and hurt her. He wanted to press her against a wall and make her shake with need.

Zero growled low in his throat, smelling the blood rush through her neck to flush her cheeks. Long fingers tangled in the hem of her shirt, nails scraping lightly on her lower back as he pulled his mouth away and leaned his head on her shoulder, attempting to calm his labored breathing. It had been so long since he had blood, so long since he tasted her. He was certain his eyes were red, and he clenched them shut as two kinds of desire quaked through his body.

He wanted her so badly.

Yuuki's fingers slipped down his neck, pressing against his pulse and his hips tilted a bit more into hers at the feel. Her head leaned down to his, lips brushing against the shell of his ear as she whispered to him.

"It's okay."

Zero's whole body shook, and he pressed his nose into the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply as all his primal senses came alive.

God she felt...

Her hands left him, and he gripped her tighter. Trembling fingers came between them, and he saw her take the zipper and pull it down before sliding her arm out of the sleeves and tossing the jacket someplace. She put her fingers under his chin and tilted his head up to look into her eyes.

"Drink, Zero." A chaste kiss was pressed to swollen lips. "It's okay."

He sighed, kissing her once more before he dipped down to breathe against her neck. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, pressing her form as close to his that it could possibly go. Zero brushed his nose along her neck, dragging his lips along her skin in a butterfly's kiss. She sighed, and his tongue darted out and traced small figure eights along her throat. He couldn't stop his lips from tilting up when he felt a small mewl vibrate up through her lips. Finally, he stopped teasing and bit down. Her whole body jumped and tensed, hands fisting in his jacket, chest pressing roughly against his, head tilting back as she relaxed against him.

His arms held her against him as she went near limp with the feel. His entire body shook against hers as her pleasure shot through his mind. His hand came up and clenched in her hair, pulling her head back so the expanse of her throat was given to him.

_So Good..._

Zero's tongue brushed along the puncture wounds, lapping up the thick tang that poured into his mouth and warmed his entire body. His eyes nearly rolled back in ecstacy, his hand pressing her hips into his thighs as the other slid up to rest between her shoulder blades. He wanted to feel every reaction she had. If she flinched, if she quaked, if she moaned, if she trembled...he would know.

Yuuki whimpered, shifting on her feet and accidently moving her hips against his. He growled low in his throat, and the hand on her hip pressed tight, crushing her waist against his. She must have felt how badly he needed this, how urgently he held her and drank. Perhaps this was what Vampires cherished about this, it was possession in it's most unedited form. Taking someone's life in your hands, feeling their desire stream through your veins, knowing that it's you who is making them think wicked things that they didn't even know they wanted.

Yuuki kept shifting in his hold, and a small noise escaped her throat again. Zero pressed his tongue to the wounds before pulling away. He kissed along her neck, giving occasional nips to the pale skin until he froze completely. Yuuki was still shifting against him, and he realized that the small noise she had uttered was one of unsatisfaction.

A fire erupted inside of him, and before he was even aware of what he was doing, he had lifted Yuuki against the trunk of a large pine tree, his hips pressing roughly into her. She inhaled sharply, and for a single moment, they stared at each other. She felt him right _there_, and yet he was still frozen in place. Zero, ever the gentleman even in the most heated moments. Her breath slowly passed through her lips, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, her eyes slowly shutting as she gently shifted her hips against his.

Zero shuddered, and rocked his hips against her, watching all the new expressions pass across her face. With each new shift into each other, her brow furrowed, and her lips parted to release soft pants as she matched his rhythm, their wet jeans chaffing against each other with each pull. When her eyes opened halfway, he saw the raw need in her gaze and was almost shocked that she could make such a face. She tilted her head down, lips pressing into his and tongues meeting shyly as they continued to move against one another. Yuuki whimpered and her fingers slid under his jacket, pushing it off of him until she could touch the skin that his wide collar exposed. He groaned as her touch danced along the back of his neck and shivered when she arched her back off of the tree and her fingers disappeared.

He pressed her harder into the trunk, watching with stilled breath as she reached down and pulled the hem of her shirt over her head, tossing it off to the side. Pushing her hair out of her face, Yuuki swallowed roughly and looked down at him. Zero's breath was shallow, and before he even looked down at the unmapped skin, he leaned up and caught her lips in his, his tongue dipping in and stroking the roof of her mouth once before he gave a sharp thrust against her, and she ripped back. Her head knocked against the tree, and she moaned low, her nails cutting into his shoulders as his mouth left a hot trail from her neck to the center of her chest.

Zero's hand slid up and cupped the wet fabric over her breast as his mouth traced her skin along the edge of the cotton with her other. Her fingers tugged into his hair, and she shifted more quickly against him, her chest arching and torso pushing up to try and get his mouth to cover her. His warm palm left her and traced lazy circles to her back as his mouth pressed against the cloth covering the tip. His hand found the clasp of her bra, and he unhooked it, bringing his mouth up to her neck, feeling her small whimpers shake through her as his lips trailed down the path her bra strap slipped along her arm. She whispered something unintellegable as his tongue and teeth pressed down to her chest once more. Zero took the bra from her chest and tossed it, delighting in the way that she bucked and moaned when the cold rain was replaced with his hot mouth.

Maybe they were doing this to punish each other, for hurting the other so much, or maybe they were punishing themselves for being cruel all this time. That's how Zero wanted to see it, as a punishment to himself for hurting her so badly, for making her want and miss him so much. But as his lips closed over her breast, and she moaned and arched into his mouth, he started to see it differently.

Maybe it wasn't punishment. Maybe it was a gift. They had been given this undisturbed time for a reason, and they finally admitted how they felt. Time was something that he could never get back, he couldn't change the events that had happened, he couldn't change the events that were bound to happen. So he would take this time that he was granted with the woman he loved and he would hold it close to his heart, never forgetting it for all his days. Even if his mind left him, he wanted to be able to remember her skin under his lips, her hips against his, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

Zero wanted to remember that she clung to him, that she whimpered his name, that he made her shake and filled her with desire. It was selfish of him to want to have her so badly, but he had denied himself great things.

He couldn't deny this.

"Zero...please..."

She tugged on his jacket, and then slid her hands down to the front of his shirt, tugging on that as well. He sighed, licking her rain-soaked skin and feeling her shift before pressing his hips against hers, holding her to the tree like that as he straightened and shed his clothes. As soon as they were gone, Yuuki stroked any inch of skin she could find. Hard muscle jumped beneath cold fingers, dipping into the curve of his spine, stroking the scars along his shoulders as her mouth and teeth slid down his neck. He closed his eyes and savored the feel of her skin on his, her chest rubbing against his with each movement that she made. He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent and caressing her arm as he nuzzled the soft skin.

She brought him to life with every touch.

He whispered her name, lips brushing against her neck as he spoke, and the hand that had been streaming down her arm brushed over her breasts as it went past her belly button, undoing the button of her jeans and pulling the zipper down.

Zero tried to pull the pants down, but it proved difficult with her legs around him. He managed to get it around her rear before she pushed his shoulders back some.

"Wait, wait, wait." Her voice was breathless. "Let me down."

That was the last thing on earth that Zero wanted to do, but as she requested, he did, and she sighed, pulling the wet fabric down roughly to her ankles. She shivered in the cold, and then reached to the waistband of her panties, pulling them down to meet her jeans. She grabbed onto his shoulder and pulled her foot out, leaving a muddy trail from her shoe.

Straightening herself out, she pushed the wet hair from her face, and let out a cold puff of breath as she felt his eyes on her. They couldn't go back now, it wasn't an option any longer. Zero knew he should stop, that she belonged to a man who wasn't him. But God, he wanted her to be his, even for only a few hours. And there she was, beautiful, bare, pale, and soaked to the bone; everything in his system told him to warm her skin with his own. To possess her until she begged him to complete what they had started.

But what woke the need in him wasn't seeing her naked before him; that only helped. It was seeing his own want reflected in her eyes. How her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were swollen with numerous kisses that craved hundreds more. How her tongue darted out to wet her lips and her eyes looked over him. He had to bite his tongue from letting words ruin this. She stepped forward, her hands coming to undo his jeans. Nervously, shyly; her fingers encircled him, and he groaned.

He swayed on his feet slightly, his eyes closing as Yuuki's hand slid up and over, tracing the underside with her nails lightly and he shuddered, almost hunching over. She tightened her grip and slid her hand up and then back down and he growled and lifted her up and pressed her against the trunk of the tree once more. She kissed him, her fingers tracing over his skin as he bucked against her hand. Yuuki shifted against him, mewling lightly and his own hand moved between her legs, searching for her and slipping against her in ways that he was sure no man had touched yet.

She inhaled sharply into his ear and then a low, breathy moan carressed his ear and he pressed his fingers harder, letting her whimper and move her hips against him. Her hand slipped off of his own arousal to tangle into his hair, rocking her hips against his hand and trembling against him as her head tilted back. He watched her, taking pleasure in how her brows furrowed, how she bit her lip, how her body looked moving along his fingers. He took time in breaking her, making her arch and her head toss slightly as her breath quickened until she shot forward and her arms crushed him to her as she shook against him and a high whimper echoed in the rain.

Yuuki put her hands against his cheeks, tilting his head up for him to stare at her as the remaining quakes fell through her form. She sighed lightly, and then kissed him, brushing her nose against his lightly.

"Zero...I need you. I need you to...please...please."

He nodded, oh God he needed it too, and strong arms came around her waist, lifting her slightly before seating her over him slowly. She gasped, and he froze, waiting for a sign from her to continue. She licked her lips and nodded, eyes closed as he filled her.

His head was spinning; she was so warm. It took almost all he had not to give in and push everything he was right there. Her eyes opened, and he stared up at her, signing at how innocent she looked, even given their current position.

"I love you." He whispered. "I'm sorry."

_Sorry for loving you._

_Sorry for taking you in a fucking wood when you deserve someplace dry and full of sheets._

_Sorry for being here._

_Sorry for wanting you so much I practically forced this._

She laughed lightly, her lips brushing his cheek. "I'm not."

And then she smiled at him, that thousand watt smile that she used to give him all the time. She was his Yuuki again, the one that left him, the one that always had kept his heart safe, the one who quoted B-rated movies with him and danced in the kitchen to her favorite bands.

"I'm not sorry, Zero. I can't be."

He saw the truth in her smile, and slowly, ever so slowly, began to move within her. Yuuki shuddered, kissing him and never letting her lips be far enough away to not feel his breath on her. She moved with him, meeting every thrust with her own and her fingers linked around his neck as she shivered. She attempted to gain momentum, but he tightened his hold and shook his head.

"Please." He murmured. _Please let me remember this. Please don't let it end so quickly._

She understood, as she always had, and smiled once more as she matched his slow pace, loving him with all that she had. His breath broke against her cheek every so often, and he would kiss her chin, her cheek, the underside of her jaw as they slowly quickened their pace.

Zero trembled, moaning lowly as she rocked over him. She shook her head, her fingers curling against his neck.

"I can't...I can't, Zero you...I..."

"Shh..." He kissed her, rocking harder against her, loving every inch of her, kissing down the line her neck, and collar bone. His lips made their way back up, kissing her lips as she whimpered and her whole body slipped tightly against his. Smiles were given, hearts pounded in their chests, passion radiated around them.

Passion always was what it came down to with Zero and Yuuki. It was quieter than with most, but it was there. In everything they ever did. Some people had a passion for their careers, some for their hobbies...Zero had a passion for Yuuki. It was in that passion that he hated to admit, but he actually understood Kaname. Because the man held the same passion. It was for this girl that they kept moving forward in their lives, that they continued living at all. She saved them, in more ways than she would ever realize. Or ever even admit. Her name was God upon their lips.

People never related Kiryuu Zero to being a passionate being. But it was always obvious to Yuuki. How obvious they longed for each other, how horribly they needed each other; it couldn't be anything but passion.

They broke together, swept away in the current of hot light as they shook and he heard her raw desire voiced against his shoulder as she bit down to quiet herself. His hand clenched in her hair, and he quaked all over, groaning her name as he bucked, trying to prolong it, to keep that light there. To keep _her_ there.

It was over too soon, and she was left panting and shivering against him. Zero kissed along her forehead, whispering small endurences to her as she caught her breath. Yuuki pet the nap of his neck, playing with the ends of his hair. He started to lift her off, but her thighs trapped him. He looked up at her, and she shook her head.

"Not yet." Her lips brushed over his. Zero looked up at her, and saw adoration in her gentle gaze. "I just..." she blushed. "I want to feel you a bit longer."

Lilac eyes warmed and he nuzzled his face into her neck, just as glad for the closeness as she was. He kept her over him, hugging her and drawing invisible designs along her thigh as he rested his head.

"Zero...?"

"Hmm?"

"What...I..." Her breath sighed against his hair. "I...are you...going to leave?"

The hunter lifted his head up, and his heart nearly tore at how desperate she looked. Something in him snapped then, and he tucked some hair behind her ear. He caught her lips with his own, nipping lightly as he pulled away from the tree. Moving down to his knees, he set her beneath him. Yuuki wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, tears starting to fill in her eyes.

"Please, Zero." Her whisper escaped between his kisses. "Please don't leave. Please."

He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what he could say. But she became so needy, he didn't dare make promises he couldn't keep. Warm lips slid down her neck, hard and bruising as his hands gripped her hips roughly. His tongue reached the flat expanse of her stomach, and he sighed, resting his cheek along her hip.

"What do you want from me, Yuuki?" Zero shook his head, it was all that he could do anymore. He couldn't deny this. "Tell me what you want from me."

For a single beat, there was silence, and then she shifted and her hands came into his hair, pulling him to her lips once more as her eyes took on a different gaze. One dark, hazy, needing, and desperate. Her tongue slid against his lips before she sighed.

"....break me."

Her hands hit the ground beside her head hard, pinned by his calloused fingers around her thin wrists. The pureblood looked up into crimson eyes and violent breath, and she seemed to know exactly what her words awoke. Tilting her head up so her lips brushed along his as she spoke, she begged him. Whispered requests of desire and release, asking him to let go of all the holds he kept on himself.

"I'm not glass, Zero." She shuddered as he bit down roughly on her shoulder. "I won't shatter."

Her back arched suddenly as he thrust into her, his teeth pulling on her ear before hot breath slipped inside.

"....Oh, you'll shatter..."

Zero loved her as he wanted, apparently as she wanted too. He didn't hold himself back, and he made certain she couldn't breathe; couldn't get out a single sentence. Made absolutely certain that it was his name on her lips, that she had scratched his shoulders so hard that they had no chance of healing, that she was bruised by his hips and his mouth. The air was filled with rapid breath, quiet requests, low moans and whimpers, and when Yuuki finally broke she crashed _hard_.

Zero fell over her, his head pillowed on her breasts as they fought for breath. Small shivers crawled over him in the aftermath, and he found her laughing softly. He started laughing too, he didn't know why. Perhaps it was because he was so completely sated, or because he was honest to God happy for the first time in his life. They shook with laughter and she sighed, her arms coming around his shoulders.

Rain fell around them, lighter than before, but he supposed that was the good thing about being a vampire. Cold and rain didn't really bother you. It was annoying, of course, but not bothersome. He saw a small patch of bluebells next to the brush across from them, dew drops falling from their skin. It was such a striking blue among the dark clouds, standing out from all the green and brown. He stared at it for a few moments, hearing Yuuki's heart beat below his ear, feeling complete and utterly lazy.

It was funny, seeing things like bluebells in the rain. Small patches of light when everything was quiet, gloomy, and secluded. Slender fingers pet silver hair, and his eyes closed against his will.

"Zero?"

"Hmm...?"

Yuuki sighed, shifting underneath him as the soft pads of her fingers stroked down his back.

"I can't...." Taking a deep breath, her words came out in a rush. "I can't leave Kaname."

His eyes opened, and he frowned. He knew that. Of course he did. But somehow, it still hurt to hear it. Zero sighed, and his voice sounded hollow, even to him.

".......I know."

_But leaving you isn't an option now either._

"What's gonna happen now?"

His eyes opened and he lifted himself up on his forearms, staring down at her. He sighed, sitting up and zipping his pants up before finding her bra and handing it to her. Yuuki blushed and shivered, standing and righting her pants and underwear before taking it from him, adjusting it and putting it on. He retrieved their shirts, giving hers over as he pulled his over his head and sighed.

"Now we get dressed and get out of the rain. I'm thinking hot bath and dry clothes."

She pulled her hair out from under her collar and walked over to her jacket, brushing off the blades of grass. "Oh....and then what?"

He shrugged. "I don't know." Sighing he rolled his head, feeling tension in his neck relax. Wow, he felt great. He didn't know if it was her blood, or simply her, but he felt better than he had in a year.

"We'll figure something out."

Brown eyes lightened at his use of the 'we', and she zipped up her jacket. Zero held his hand out, and she grabbed it, lacing their fingers together as he led them through the woods, away from her home and back to his.

"But first a bath," He pulled her along, and took his hand out of hers, instead wrapping his arm comfortably around her shoulders. She lifted her hand and laced her fingers through the rough ones hanging next to her chest and bounced next to him.

"That's a good idea," Yuuki grinned. "Cause see, I'm having this showering problem. I just can't seem to reach the middle of my back."

Zero nodded, brows raised. "Sounds like a serious issue."

"It is," She agreed. "Think you can help me sort it out?"

The ex-human shrugged, a smirk growing on his face. "Pretty confident I can."

The Pureblood laughed, and Zero glanced back at the bluebells, taking in their light cerulean before looking down at the girl who was smiling so brightly at him.

He sighed and pushed his hand in his pocket and kissed her head as she babbled about how she missed cafes, pizza, and shopping.

_Yeah...we'll figure something out._

Zero's been standing in the dark for too long, anyway.


	23. Solitude and Sunbeams

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

This chapter wasn't meant to come until later. But I think that the world needs some amusing happy right now. So amusing happy I shall bring.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

**...............................**

_**Solitude and Sunbeams**_

The grandfather clock next to the door ticked away as large brown eyes shifted from man to man. Nervous, slender fingers picked at the lose threads from the hole at the knee of her jeans. If someone didn't say something soon, Cross Yuuki would go insane.

Of course that would probably be a better alternative than to what she was almost certain was coming.

Her teeth bit down on her lower lip, and she glanced at her best friend, trying to gauge his emotions. It was a hard process to do with Zero though, he never showed any emotion except annoyance when he was in the presence of their "father". The older boy was sitting next to her in the second chair in front of the Chairman's desk. Lilac eyes were narrowed down at the blonde man ahead of them, calloused fingers clenching the ends of the wooden arm rests tightly.

Apparently Zero was aware of what this 'Saturday meeting' was coming to.

See, the two had learned over time that whenever the Chairman of Cross Academy called them in for a meeting on the weekend, it had absolutely nothing to do with classes or Guardian duties. It had everything to do with the three of them. Or rather, the two of them.

Saturday Meetings was just a fancy spin on "Family Meetings".

And there was nothing that the two teenagers hated more than Family Meetings. Zero would rather spend a day running with Kuran Kaname through a field of flowers with Phil Collins playing in the background than have to expierence the last Family Meeting again. It really was just that bad.

Yuuki sighed softly, her toes shifting in her ballet flats as she looked back at her adoptive Father. The man was preparing something, the only question was what. He had his elbows on the top of the desk, fingers laced in front of his face, glasses falling down the bridge of his nose to make him appear more studious than he actually was. The large, leatherbound tome on the desk helped with that charade.

"Children."

Yuuki jumped a little at the sudden noise, and saw Zero glare in her peripheral. The Chairman leaned back in his armchair and looked at them seriously.

"I know that you two have come to an age where you may be looking at things a little differently."

The female guardian blinked at him, her eyebrow slowly raising. Oh please God, let this not be what she thought it was going to be. Oh, she really didn't need this. She especially didn't need this with Zero in the room. Her stomach clenched as she trained her eyes to the carpet. The blonde man stood from his chair and walked around to sit at the edge of his desk, carefully eyeing the two.

"Certain things like...the opposite sex. And you may find yourself thinking certain things that you never thought before. Like what it would feel like to kiss them and such."

Oh. My. God.

Yuuki could feel her face turn even more red by the second, and she suddenly wished that she didn't have her hair in a ponytail simply so she could hide behind it. She could hear some of the wood from the chair next to her splinter under Zero's fingers. Glancing at him, she could see that his eyes were wide and his lips seemed to shrink into a thin, firm line as his whole body shook.

"Zero, Yuuki, you two need to be informed on the mechanics of sex. And why it should never be simply referred to as sex, but as making love."

Zero swallowed roughly, and she heard him whisper under his breath. "Sweet baby Jesus..."

Doesn't it just suck when the earth doesn't open up and swallow you whole when you want it to?

"Making love is beautiful. Having sex is meaningless. And I'm sure you two want to make something beautiful rather than something meaningless."

Yuuki stopped breathing all together. _Please God make it stop._

The Chairman cleared his throat and looked at Zero, folding his arms in front of him as he scrutinized the boy. If only he knew all the differently ways Zero was slowly killing him in his head.

"Zero, you're a fine, upstanding young man. So I'm sure you already know this, but a woman's body is not to be oogled. And her breasts-"

"HEY!" The brunette girl shot up out of her seat and brought her arm up to her face as her voice dipped and rose in six different pitches. "Look at my wrist! I gotta go do...something...be...elsewhere. Right now."

Zero stood from his seat and grabbed her lifted wrist, pulling her roughly to the door, to sweet and beautiful escape. "And I have to help her...with...that."

Ignoring the man's protests and complaints, the two teenagers slammed the door behind them. The ex-human looked around quickly, seeing a long coffee table with a vase of flowers next to the door. He grabbed the end of it and pulled it in front of the large redwood enterence, hoping to God that it stayed there until he died. Yuuki slipped her hand into his and they raced down the hallway, nearly tripping as they sped down the stairs. They didn't stop until they heard the front door close behind them and Zero was sure they were safe.

The girl paced in front of him, her hands cupping her cheeks as her brain tried to process what had just occured.

"The Chairman just said breast. He said _breast_. He said breast when he wasn't talking about cooking a chicken, Zero!"

Zero rolled his eyes, growling low in his throat as he shoved his hands in his pockets and trudged along the pathway. "It was fucking bad enough when I was eleven and it was my own Dad trying to talk to me. I don't want to deal with yours too."

"Where're you going?!" She called to his back.

"Feed Lily! Don't get into any trouble!"

He lifted a hand in goodbye before returning it to his jacket pocket as he left her. Yuuki sighed and turned the corner. Maybe she would find Yori and they could drown her embarressment in ice cream. Yeah, that sounded good. Maybe chocolate chip cookie dough, or caramel pecan. Oh, perhaps the shop got the chocolate turtle flavored in. Yeah, she really wanted to try that-

"YUUKI!"

She jumped back as a blur of green and blonde flashed in front of her before tripping on her heel and landing on her butt. Wincing, she looked up at the shadow that towered over her.

Oh crap. He had the book. She knew that book. She still had nightmares about that book. That book killed her childhood!

"How did you get out?! Did you jump out the window?!"

Her Father pushed his glasses up on his nose and adjusted the large book in his grasp. "Of course I jumped out the window. I was a hunter, I do things like that. And you two blocked the door! Now, we really need to talk about this! You need to be informed!"

She looked behind him and her hope soared. SALVATION!

Standing quickly, Yuuki darted around her Father's evil desires and ran up to the one thing she had left to save her. Grabbing the long, pale fingers, she hijacked the vampire, not bothering to say a word to his followers as she passed.

"Yuuki, what-"

Spinning on her heel, she stared at her hero with the most pleading eyes that she could muster. Her fingers clenched around his and her voice was nearly drowned out with Aidou and her father's protests.

"Kaname-sempai, if you care for me at all you will not let go of my hand and you'll just follow me, okay?"

The pureblood didn't say a word, but she thought she saw his dark gaze warm up as he tightened his grip on her hand and they walked away from the loud protests.

"THAT DAMN CROSS YUUKI! HOW RUDE DOES SHE THINK SHE IS JUST GRABBING HIM THAT WAY!"

"I don't think he minded all that much, Hanabusa."

"OF COURSE HE MINDED! HE'S JUST TOO KIND TO SAY IT TO A STUPID GIRL LIKE THAT!"

"YUUKI! COME BACK! THIS BOOK HAS THE PICTURES! IT EVEN HAS A DIAGRAM!"

Yuuki winced, and quickened her pace, almost jogging to match Kaname's long strides. They made their way across the courtyard, past the science building and straight to the gardens next to the English department. Walking into the arched wooden hall, their march slowed to take in the beauty of it all. Green leaves and small ferns were framing the bottem of a grey fenced arch, letting sunlight bleed through the gaps in the wall.

Kaname sat on a bench along the walkway, the sunlight at his back, looking like a forest lord for all the greenery behind him. Yuuki paced back and forth in front of him, catching her breath lightly as she lost her senses and babbled.

"Oh dear God! Did you see him?! Did you SEE him?! I can't believe he even tried it! I don't NEED him to talk to me about...stuff! I have books! I have TV! I have friends! I am well aware on the basics of stuff! UGH! He even had the BOOK!"

She halted and whirled around to face her crush, forgetting that she ever got nervous around him, or that he was a pureblood to be respected. In this moment, he was simply the Kaname that she had always known, the one who saved her life and played with her as a child. Yuuki groaned and her arms flailed as she spoke, being the most animated that the eighteen year old has ever seen her.

"That book killed my childhood! Pueberty came, and he was all "Oh Yuuki we need to talk about your changes" He doesn't even KNOW my changes! He's not a girl! And when I informed him of that fact, he got the freaking matron to do it! Do you have any idea how incredibly embarressing it is to have a sixtyeight year old woman sit an eleven year old girl down and try to talk to her about her own body! IT'S REALLY EMBARRESSING KANAME-SAMA! REALLY REALLY EMBARRESSING! It's so embarressing I almost wanted a wild dog to come in an eat me just so I could get out of it, and then my stringy little body could give the dog indigestion and it would throw up on the Matron's shoes. And that would be my vengence. Sweet, sweet vengence Kaname-s....ama....Kaname...."

Three things happened as soon as she trailed off:

She realized who exactly she was babbling to on the more embarressing parts of her youth.

She wished the earth would eat her again.

And she realized that Kaname was smiling.

It was odd to see him smiling so easily. He was leaning back against the fence, his arm casually resting on the end of the bench, legs crossed as he watched her. There was such an amused, easy going grin on that perfect face, it almost made her heart hurt. She wished he would smile like that more often.

Yuuki cleared her throat, her face turning red again as she stiffly sat down next to him. Her hands went on her knees, shoulders hunched around her neck. Maybe if she tried hard enough, her shoulders would suck her head all the way in. It would make it hard to see where she was going, but pretty easy to be the headless horseman for Halloween.

"Well," Kaname's smooth voice laughed lightly as he turned towards her. "I, for one, am glad that no wild dog came in and ate you. That would make me extremely put out, and then I would have to go and kill a dog, which isn't exactly fun for me."

The girl couldn't help it, she laughed and relaxed a little. Happy that he was going along with her idiocy so she didn't feel like such a fool. He had always been nice like that, making her feel more comfortable even if it made him look odd. Or...did he really do it for her? Maybe he did it for himself.

"Yeah," She sighed as she grinned at him. "And then the dog's pack would hunt you down and try to get revenge on you. It would be a neverending battle between you and all the canine species. Even Chihuahuas would hate you."

The Pureblood laughed and raised his brows. "See, I don't know if I could battle a Chihuahua, that may be my downfall. They are rather vicious."

"And yippity."

"Yes, and yippity...is yippity even a word?"

Yuuki thought for a moment, her brow furrowing before she shrugged. "Eh, it is now, I used it in a sentence. And how embarressing would it be for you? The mighty pureblood met death by a small Mexican Dog."

They laughed lightly, sighing as quiet folded over them. Yuuki looked around at all the plants before she started to feel awkward again. Every time she glanced over at Kaname, she found him staring at her. It made her nervous when he did that. It never felt like he was judging her, just...felt like he was waiting to see what she would do next.

"What - um - what were you guys doing out during the day? Arn't you tired?"

"A bit." He shrugged. "I had a paper that I was getting in early for one of my classes. Aidou and Kain were escourting me."

Huh. Yuuki hadn't ever thought to ask what classes Kaname was taking. She had always wanted to. She wanted to talk to him so much whenever she saw him returning from the school to his dorms. She wanted to ask how his night went, if anything interesting happened, what his hobbies were. Now that she thought about it, they hadn't actually had a convorsation like this since...

...Since she saw Ruka with him.

Biting her lip lightly, she glanced at him again from under her lashes and finally built up the courage to ask. She had started a convorsation with him, she wasn't going to let the moment pass by.

"What classes are you taking, anyway?"

"Oh," He shook his head as if it were the most boring subject in the world. "Simple things. Humanities and ethics. Triginomitry. Quantom Physics. Micro Economics."

Kaname looked down and saw her staring at him blankly before she blinked and laughed.

"I'm sorry...I couldn't hear you over the sound of my brain exploding."

He chuckled. "I suppose it does seem like a lot, doesn't it?"

"I didn't even know that we taught those courses here."

"Vampires learn at an accelerated rate. The things that humans learn at age twelve, vampires learn at age seven. It's normal for us to have so many advanced courses."

Yuuki smiled softly at him, feeling warm when he smiled back. He lifted his hand and tucked some lose strands of hair behind her ear. His fingers trailed down her cheek before dropping between the two of them when she started to tense up again.

"I wish we would talk casually all the time." He murmured. "You seem so distant now."

The guardian stood up and walked towards the hanging vase full of yellow flowers, She pet their petals as she gazed out to the green hills a few miles from them. Truthfully, she was distant from Kaname. She knew that, it was for her own good. She was rude before, he was a pureblood, someone to respect.

And he was a vampire. Something that drank the lifeforce of another living being in the most sensual way. A fact that she learned long ago and nearly ripped her heart from her chest.

"You're so high above me." She whispered. "Like another world. A world of...grand things. Servents, soirees, fancy clothing, wine, riches, silk sheets, and people depending on you."

Turning to face him, she huffed out a noiseless laugh and shrugged. "I live in a world of dishwashers, radio, jeans, mountain dew, and acting completely ridiculous. I could never...heh...I-I wouldn't be accepted into a place so nice."

Kaname stood, taking her hand and pulling her to him as his arms crossed around her. She felt him

rest his chin against her head and sigh. She had tears fill her eyes, and for a moment she wished that they could stay like this. In the solitude of this garden, just the two of them. No pureblood, no human. Just Kaname and Yuuki.

"I like your world better." She felt the words vibrate through her, and laughed lightly as she pulled away from him.

"I should find Yori...see if we can come up with a way for me to hide from the Chairman."

The corner of his full mouth lifted up. "How long do you intend to hide?"

"Oh...forever. Until I run off, get married, have kids, and then he can torment them with the giant book of embarressing facts."

Kaname laughed and grabbed her hand, making them slowly walk down the pathway as the sun began to set.

"Well," He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "I'll help you hide from him for a bit. No one should embarress you, Yuuki. Then you start wishing for wild dogs."

The sixteen year old giggled. "That's right. And then you have to fight the yippity ones."

The pureblood nodded. "So, let's just say that I'll try my best to keep you happy, because when you're unhappy I have to do unpleasant things to people. And dogs. And whatever else has caused you to be unhappy."

Yuuki smiled, her cheeks heating with warmth as she walked with him. As long as she stayed with Kaname, then today would be a good day.

Their walk was cut short by a small tune coming from the pocket of her jeans. Yuuki reached into her back pocket and pulled out her cellphone, flipping it open when she saw the caller ID.

"Are you okay?"

"..........He found me."


	24. Good Morning Sunshine

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

* * *

**Good Morning Sunshine**

Zero was a morning person. He couldn't help it; he grew up with Yagari waking him for drills before dawn.

So he was always the first one to get to take a shower, and get ready for school, and make breakfast.

Some people thought that he was insane for liking mornings. He said he liked them because they were quiet, but that wasn't the complete truth. He liked them because Yuuki hated mornings.

So he would always make sure to have a plate of warm breakfast sitting at her side of the table. Two eggs sunny side up, two sausage links, two pieces of bacon burnt to perfection, and three pieces of toast.

No, that wasn't the whole family's breakfast. Yep, that was just hers. What could he say, the girl was a pig.

By the time she stumbled into the kitchen, pajama shirt wrinkled and one pant leg normally scrunched up to her knee as the other was catching on the heel of her foot, he would have a pot of coffee already brewing at the counter.

"Good Morning Sunshine." He'd smirk, and Yuuki would glare sleepily at him and scratch the hair that had somehow migrated all to the right side of her head.

He would chuckle behind the mug of coffee that he brought to his lips and watch her as she tore into the bacon like she hated the world. He always told her to go to bed earlier, but she waved him off and says that sleeping is for class.

(_And she wonders why she's failing math._)

Most women would hate if a boy saw them in their worst state. But Zero always found it amusing and (_never out loud_) adorable. He liked that he was the first one to see Yuuki every day.

It was their routine. The only day that things ever flipped was on his birthday. Then Zero would come into the kitchen and smell coffee brewing, and a horrible breakfast on his side of the table. Dear God, the bacon wasn't burnt to perfection…it was just burnt. The eggs were smushy, the toast was black, and the sausage didn't look completely cooked through.

Yuuki should need a license to cook.

But Yuuki smiled at him, fully dressed for school, with a cup of coffee already at her lips as she leaned on the counter. Zero wouldn't mention the horrible food, using his well-practiced mask of indifference as he ate the meal she prepared. (_Don't gag don't gag don't gag_)

"Good Morning, Sunshine." She said, unsarcastically.

He grunted at her, and tried to decide if it was yoke or milk that he was cutting into. But then the sound of her boots hitting the wood floor filled the room and her arm looped around his shoulders. Her soft cheek pressed against his slightly stubbled one (_really gotta shave_) and he could smell the vanilla in her soap and her hair was still damp and smelling like lilacs.

"Happy Birthday, Zero."

(_Happy Birthday to me_!)

He shrugged his shoulders and grunted a weak "thanks" as she let go and walked out of the kitchen to rouse her father.

He waited until she was completely gone and then sighed. A smile broke out on his face as he bit into the toast (_charcoal_) and stared out the window. The sun was just over the tips of the smallest trees and glared into the window.

Lilac and vanilla lingered in the air around him, and he rested his head on his hand as his smile softened.

(_Good Morning, indeed_.)


	25. Center Stage

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

* * *

**Center Stage**

Shiki's best friend was Rima, undoubtedly. Rima understood him in a way that no one else really did. She didn't ask him questions when he didn't want to talk, and she was more for silent support.

But although Shiki was close to Rima…Ichijou got under his skin in a way no one else did. He knew the insecurities that went on behind those opaque blue cerulean eyes.

Ichijou also liked to speak in metaphors.

Shiki found this out when he was walking through the forest that surrounded the Moon Dorm one night. It was close to sunset, but it was a weekend, so everyone was either sleeping or in town. Shiki simply felt like walking, so he let his feet move without really thinking of where he was going.

Surprisingly, it led him to Ichijou.

The blonde was deep into the woods, with a watering can, standing in front of the trunk of a tree. He was helping the life of a tiny green twig that was right underneath the sun's rays. It had a few green leaves on it, but it was nothing to truly take notice of.

"What are you doing up so early?"

Shiki blinked and walked over to stand next to him. "I couldn't sleep."

Ichijou hummed in understanding, and smiled at him, straightening up as he watched dewdrops slide off the leaves he sprinkled.

"It's pretty, isn't it?"

The brunette shrugged. "It's hardly noticeable, really. Small."

"That's the point." Ichijou chuckled and lifted a long finger to tap is friend on the nose. "Right now it's small, hardly noticeable, a supporting character. But when the sun hits it like this, you can't help but take notice. It really shines. The sun makes it bright with its warmth. Soon it'll be bigger."

Shiki blinked down at the tiny plant. He didn't really believe that it would grow. It would probably die in a few days. The sun couldn't be hitting it all the time.

The teen nearly jumped out of his skin when a lean arm snaked around his shoulders.

"Come on." Ichijou steered them away from the tiny life. "Let's go have some tea."

"Hm."

Shiki walked away, sticking close to the blonde. His head fell against the strong shoulder unconsciously as they walked, and the bright blonde hair mingled with his messy dark locks.

Ichijou's body was very warm.


	26. Frozen Morning

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

* * *

**Frozen Morning**

His shoes echoed down the stone flooring of the underground tunnels. Adrenaline pumped through his system as he willed his tired legs to run faster.

God, she didn't remember anything.

He was supposed to be there when she woke up, to be the first person she saw. Now he didn't even know where she was.

Within thirty seconds he was at the opening of the tunnel, leading out into the frozen night air. Wind howled, mixing scents with trees, snow, hale, and dead grass. He couldn't smell his little sister anywhere, and it would be impossible to hear her through the wind.

He picked a direction, and ran deep into the wood. Tree branches slapped against his face, pine needles sticking to his hair. He didn't even realize his cheek got cut. He stopped when the wind died down a little, and regained his breath.

"_YUUKI!!!!!"_

His throat broke with his scream, and when he swallowed down the bile that was threatening it's way up, the back of his throat burned. Tears started to stream down his face.

_Oh God, please. Please let her be safe. Please. I've never asked for anything before, but please let her be safe._

He willed himself to calm, his eyes closed as he focused his mind on her. They shared a bond. Ever since she started feeding off of his energy, they had a bond. Perhaps it would still work even with her human state. His eyes snapped open when he felt a faint shiver that didn't come from him roll down his spine.

She was afraid. She was terrified.

Like a snap of thunder, he was off again, fear shaking his entire body. There was an opening in the trees leading out to a field that was covered with snow. His eyes, glowing red, made out the form of a small girl face to face with a level E.

_Dammit! _

Using whatever strength his legs had left, he raced to the pair, hoping that the wind would cover his approach. The vampire lunged towards the girl, and Kaname's fist shot out as he skidded to a halt next to them.

He felt his hand go through skin, skull, brain, and out the other end. All with a sickening crack and gush. The vampire's head craned back and his arms released the small child's shoulders as his eyes shifted to look at Kaname's ruthless glare. As always, the young boy masked his fear, his terror, into a cold mask of hate.

"You're a disgrace to all vampires."

He quickly slid his arm out of the despicable creature's head and shook his arm once, blood flinging into the snow as the monster turned to dust. Feeling exhaustion start to hit him, Kaname couldn't help licking the blood off his hand as he turned to face the tiny girl and he tried to smile gently at her.

"Are you okay?"

That seemed a stupid question, and he almost kicked himself for it. Of course she wasn't okay. She was shaking like a leaf, a few drops of blood splattered against her pale, wide-eyed face. He knelt down on one knee and extended his hand to her.

"My name is Kaname. If you come with me, I'll take you someplace safe and warm. Would you like that?"

She stared at him for a moment before placing her small mittened hand into his and allowing him to help her up. Instinctively, from someplace in her body that she didn't know existed, she hugged him. Her arms came around the back of his thighs and she buried her face in his coat as tears spilled over her face.

Kaname smiled and put one arm around her shoulders, the other lightly petting her head, holding her tightly to him.

He may not have been able to be there as soon as she woke up, but he would always be the mysterious boy that smiled warmly at her with the enemy's blood dripping down his round face.

The boy that saved her from her first demon, and would save her from every other one that plagued her.


	27. Caramel Autumn

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

* * *

**Caramel Autumn**

Zero glared and Yuuki tried to hide her grin behind her hand as they walked back to the Sun dorms.

He could hear it's tiny paws hitting the sidewalk behind them and it made his eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

"Will you please get this stupid cat to stop following me?!"

Yuuki let her hand drop and turned around to greet the little white and tan calicle that had been following them about campus. The kitten ran up to her and rubbed its head under her palm. Yuuki cooed and let her hand stroke down her back and scratch along its ears.

"He just wants you to take him home, Zero."

The hunter crossed his arms and sent a rude grimace to the small animal that had now abandoned Yuuki's loving touch and was weaving in and out of his legs.

"Well I don't want a stupid cat."

"Don't say that!" His best friend scolded. "He's just a baby! And he likes you!"

Zero sighed when he saw some white fur starting to gather along the leg of his black slacks. Bending down, he held his hand out to the feline and watched in tiny amazement as it propped its front paws on his fingers.

…well…he supposed it was kind of cute…a little.

Yuuki grinned and lifted the kitten up, propping it in Zero's arms. The small cat then proceeded to put its paws on his left shoulder and rub it's head under his chin. The silver haired teen swallowed roughly and locked eyes with Yuuki.

Shit…it really was cute.

He sighed and pet it's back, turning and walking down the path.

"Yuuki-chan!"

Oh just craptacular.

Zero held back a growl low in his throat as the blonde vampire came down the concrete. Aidou just couldn't pass up a chance to bother them, could he?

"Oh what a cute kitty!" The vampire leaned forward and held his hand out. "Hello little guy! Hello!"

The guardian felt the cat's fur stand on end as it hissed at Aidou and swiped one clawed hand out to him. The Noble shot back and blinked in surprise before glaring and growling under his breath. Yuuki and Zero stared down at the kitten in amazement.

A sadistic grin broke out on Zero's face as he began to pet the kitten with a loving hand.

"You wanna come home with me? Yeah, I'll bet you do!"


	28. Cotton Candy Cuteness

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

.............................................

**Cotton Candy Cuteness**

Kaname had always been a patient boy.

He hardly mouthed off to his parents.

He never mouthed off to his sister.

Even when she woke him up early in the night.

"Nii-sama!" She whispered. "Kaname-niisama, are you up?"

The small boy grunted and blinked before focusing on the tiny girl next to his bed. It was a normal occurrence for Yuuki to go to his room in the middle of the night or in the morning. So Kaname reacted as he always did. He smiled, nodded, and then scooted away from the edge of the bed and held up the blankets for her to crawl in next to him.

"No, no, no Nii-sama!" She pouted. "You gotta get up! You gotta help me get dressed for Mama's birthday!"

Kaname glanced at the clock across the room before looking back at his sister. "Yuuki, it's only four in the afternoon. Mama isn't even out of bed yet."

"I know!" She smiled, grabbing his hand and pulling his arm. "We're gonna make her breakfast! You gotta teach me how!"

He sighed, but got out of bed, not bothering to change out of his pajamas, and followed her into her bedroom.

She went to her closet and opened the door, looking at all the skirts and dresses that were hanging there. She turned to face her beloved brother and gave a toothy smile.

"I like the brown one, cause it matches Mama's eyes. Which one do you like, Nii-sama?"

Kaname smiled at her, and sauntered over to the rainbow of colors, going over each one with a critical eye before pulling out a yellow dress with a satin sash around the waist and no sleeves.

"How about this one?" He questioned, holding it up to her shoulders. "I like it because it's bright, like Yuuki's smile."

Her eyes glowed with happiness and she grabbed the dress, putting it on top of her bed and sliding her arms out of the sleeves of her nightgown. She tried to pull her head out, forgetting that there was a button in the back of the collar.

"Help!"

Kaname laughed and walked behind her, unhooking the button and pulling the soft cotton over her head. He brushed his fingers through her fine hair and she giggled.

"I'm cold!"

"Well you've got nothing on, silly."

The boy picked up the dress and bunched it up, pulling it over her head and watching as little arms shot out. She shifted from foot to foot and waited as he smoothed out the wrinkles and spun her around so that he could tie the sash behind her.

"Okay, all done."

"Yay!"

Reaching behind him, she grabbed the stuffed paw of her beloved stuffed bunny, dutifully named "Kana-chan". And lifted her arms up to Kaname. He picked her up, smiling into her shoulder as she embraced him, soft bear bouncing against his back.

"What do you want to make Mama?"

"Something Yummy!"

"A crepe?"

"Yeah! With those red berries!"

"Alright."


	29. Childhood Treasures

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

**...**

**Childhood Treasures**

Kaname almost went into a panic when he woke up and Yuuki wasn't there. He looked around the dark room, wincing as he put slight pressure to lift himself up on his severed wrist.

"Yuuki?"

He grew quiet for a moment and closed his eyes before he smiled as her scent came at him from inside her old bedroom. Shrugging off the sheets and quilt, he stepped down onto the lightly carpeted floor and ventured out into the hidden rooms of the Kuran Mansion.

Once he came to her old bedroom, he stood in the doorway, just watching her with a soft smile. The young Kuran girl was sitting in front of her toy box, rummaging through the contents and looking at them all before setting them aside with a fond smile. She pet a stuffed puppy, and she ran her hands along the wheels of a toy car. Her breath caught in her throat as she grasped a large, Victorian styled dollhouse and pulled it out.

Kaname bit back a grin as her face lit up and she opened up the back of it, looking into all the rooms and running her fingers down the dusty floors. She laughed lightly before returning to search through the chest of her childhood treasures.

The older boy entered the room and sat down behind her, leaning on his hand as he watched.

"You look like you're searching for something specific."

She looked at him, dim light reflecting in large brown eyes.

"I am." She responded, biting her lower lip. "Do you remember a stuffed rabbit, with a stitched smile and button eyes? I used to carry him everywhere, I called him-"

"Kana-chan." He smiled. "I remember."

Yuuki sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I thought he might be in here. But I can't seem to find him."

Kaname's cheeks tinged a bit and he took her hand, pulling her to her feet.

"Follow me."

Her brows furrowed, but she trailed after him as he brought her out into the living room and stopped at where Serien had dropped their bags. He unzipped the leather pouch and rifled through it for a moment before pulling out an old, ratty, grey rabbit with a stitched smile and button eyes.

Yuuki's face lit up as she gently plucked him from Kaname's grasp and pet along his ears and head.

"You had him?"

Kaname nodded. "I went back for him after I had dropped you off at Cross's house that night. I thought…well that you might have need for him. But…once I had him, he was the only reminder of you that I had, and I couldn't bare to let it go. I apologize for that."

She smiled at him and went up on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. He watched as she went back into the bedroom and crawled into her old bed, pulling the bunny against her chest in a tight embrace before letting sleep come over her.


	30. Stoic Reflection

**Authors Note**: So this is basically a series of unrelated drabbles with multiple, various pairings in it leading from het to yaoi to a three-way relationship. So chances are, somehow, your favorite pairing will be in here. All the drabbles are inspired by photography done by (www. Sasami – takarai. Deviantart. Com) So be sure to check out her pictures, they really are incredible! All the chapters have the same name as the picture they were based off of.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of its characters.

**...**

**Stoic Reflection**

Kain is unnoticeable.

He's there, and people realize he's there, but no one really ever speaks to him.

He's stone. A pillar. The pylon in the center of a fountain flooded with water. Everyone else was fluid, sifting around him while he stayed strong. He was, quite frankly, the support.

He never complained.

He always took care of everyone else.

No one was watching him, and because no one was watching him, he was watching everyone else.

He could point out the flaws and secrets of each member of the night class.

He knew that although his cousin Hanabusa acted cocky and uncaring, he really worried over everyone. When things got too tense in the night class, he started an argument to divert the attention to himself and his blabbering. Not because he was conceited, but because he didn't want anyone disturbing the peace that Kaname-sama had worked so hard for. He was, quite actually, incredibly insecure. Most geniuses are. Hanabusa Aidou was very afraid of disappearing, of being useless. So he wormed his way into everyone's head so you knew that he was there.

He knew that his cousin Ruka truly did love Kaname-sama with everything that she was. Enough to protect the girl that she hated, because it was what Kaname-sama wished. Enough to give him her blood without asking for anything in return. Enough to be slapped in the face just to feel like she had been noticed; like she was there. But she wanted Kaname happy more than anything in the world.

Ruka didn't know that Kain only stood idly by because Kaname's happiness was Ruka's happiness…and Ruka's happiness was Kain's.

He knew that there was something secret going on between Ichijou and Shiki. Something that Rima knew, but never commented on. They had conversations without speaking, would hang onto each other a little longer than those with simple friendship would, and would often worry over each other more than anyone else in the night class.

It was only when speaking of Ichijou or Rima, did Shiki's eyes light some.

But Kain knew, without a single doubt, that the Kaname he knew was sleeping. The little boy that came for forgiveness in Aidou's sandbox that night, that little boy who seemed so very lonely when Kain saw him, was gone. The great pureblood leader seemed far more lonely these days. At least when he was a child, he would smile with innocence at being included.

But Kain noticed…that he only saw a hint of that child in Kaname's eyes when the young man was around the female guardian.

Kain knew nearly everything about everyone.

He was the stone in the middle of the water.

But what others didn't realize…was that if you look inside a stone, it is not hollow. It is made up of particles and chemical components that make it exist, make it real.

And people might also realize, that without the stone in the center…a fountain is just a pool, and pools aren't nearly as pretty.


	31. Encased

Encased

Zero was like a tightly sealed box. His emotions were always compressed, always encased.

This is why Yuuki related him to the winter.

At first, he took some offense to it. Winter was frigid, windy, and full of ice and darkness. He knew that he had a few issues, but he didn't think of himself as a genuinely cold person. Especially since he and Yuuki had started their unlabeled relationship.

When Yuuki saw him standing next to the frosted window, watching the snowstorm blazing outside, she knew that her words had struck a chord with him. She smiled gently and pushed another log into their fireplace before walking over to him and wrapping her arms around his torso.

"I like the winter." She nuzzled her nose against his back. "Cause…it's only on the outside that it's windy and cold."

The younger girl pulled away and grabbed his arm; turning him around to face her as took his hands and put them on her cheeks. He stared down at her, cold amethyst melting into strong lavender as she spoke.

"But inside, there's hot chocolate, and warm fires. And snuggling on the couch and the sound of the quiet when the snow first falls. And when the storm is over there's snowball fights and snow angels. And cold noses that you can rub against. Winter is a time for laughter. It can be cold outside, but inside…there's nothing but warmth. I love winter cause it's diverse like that, you know?"

He smirked and brought her face up to his, pressing her forehead against hers.

"Cold outside, warm inside, huh?"

"Mm." Yuuki grinned and snaked her arms around the hunter's neck, lightly brushing her nose against his. "Sometimes cold outside is good. Makes you want to get warm."

Her lips pressed against his in the gentlest of caresses, so chaste that it was over before it even began. Her eyes were a warm chestnut, and he felt a hot flush roll through his veins. There were horrible side effects to keeping this relationship of theirs secret. It wasn't as if Zero was a general spokesman for public displays of affection, but she did tempt him more than she was even aware of.

He would be helping her with a Math problem in class, and her leg would brush against his. Or she would look up at him with the most adorable befuddled expression as she chewed on her pen cap.

They would be walking down the hall, and the knuckles of her hand would brush against his. He would glance down at her from the corner of his eye, and he could almost swear that she knew exactly what she was doing to him.

But it wasn't as if he would ever kiss her in public, or make a show of anything like that. No, those moments were better enclosed between the two of them. When they were alone and knew they wouldn't be bothered, that's when he let go. When he could smile, or laugh a little, and he could hug her and not care about the world.

Looking at her now though, it was almost like he just knew that he tempted her just as much as she did him. And in the very second that this message was conveyed silently between the two, a fire raged inside her eyes.

Soft lips crashed against his as her hands slid up to his shoulders. His stomach flew up into his chest like the drop of a roller coaster, and he clenched his hands in her sweater, pressing her against his form. Slender fingers slid along the skin of his neck, and her nails lightly brushed along his jugular.

A log cracked in the fireplace as Yuuki's back met the ice-glazed window. Crimson eyes looked up at her before her hands grabbed hold of silver locks and his mouth collided against hers again. Her tongue brushed over his lips and his hand slid under her shirt, calloused fingers slipping along silk skin. She gasped and her leg slid along his as she gripped his hair. The window was cold along her back, but her skin felt so flushed and his lips were warm and his tongue tasted like the hot chocolate that they were having earlier.

Zero's mind shut down as a small whimper escaped the back of her throat and he let his fingers trail along the side of her breast. The reaction ripped a fire through his gut as her hips shifted against his, and his hand came into her hair, tugging on the long strands as her teeth nipped at his lower lip.

He pulled away from her, and her lips were as red as his gaze was. Her breathing was heavy, eyes dark and staring into him as her fingers toyed with the back of his neck. He kissed her softly, staring at her all the while as his full lips brushed across her jaw and trailed down her neck. His tongue slid along her skin and he sucked lightly, feeling the blood draw to the surface. He shuddered as her pulse pounded under his lips, and she pulled him closer to her, her teeth sliding against his earlobe.

"Zero…"

Her tongue brushed against his ear, and a dark growl rolled out of his throat before he bit into hers. Yuuki gasped and bit her lower lip, her arms subconsciously drawing him closer as he lapped up the warmth flowing into his mouth. Her fingers pet through his hair, and she very nearly purred against his jaw when he stroked down her spine. She felt his lips curl up against her neck and she whapped the back of his head.

Zero spluttered slightly in surprise, and she started laughing. He pulled away, and looked at her like she was insane.

"Why'd you hit me?"

"Because!" She laughed. "You were enjoying it far too much! That's taking advantage of the situation, Kiryuu."

He rolled his eyes, but smiled as he wiped his mouth on his shirtsleeve.

"Yeah, well you know hitting me made me spill some on your shirt, right?"

Yuuki's eyes widened and she pulled at her shirt collar, bringing it around to her line of sight. It caused the hem to ride up her stomach a bit, which Zero honestly didn't mind at all. She gasped and let go of the stained fabric before hitting him on the arm again.

"You jerk! Do you have any idea how hard it's going to be to get that out? Ass!"

"OW! Hey! Stop! Seriously!"

She laughed as he pulled her hips to him before throwing her on the couch. He laid over her and pressed his face into her shoulder, wiping any blood that he missed on her shirt. She screeched and tugged at his hair, pushing him into the crease of the couch cushions as she laughed.

"Hey! Uncool, Zero! I like this shirt!"

"Yeah well, it makes a good napkin."

"Messy eater."

"Whiner."

"Jerk."

"Brat."

"Idiot."

"Loud mouth-hey! Don't hit me with a pillow!"

"Shut up! I'll do what I please, thank you very much!"

He chuckled as she began to poke his sides, giving her every attempt to tickle him. It only ended with the young man holding her against him as he kissed her hair, staring at the fogged window that now had the lovely, smudged imprint of her back.


End file.
